


Eridan and Kanaya Raise Baby Ducklings

by SilentAvera



Category: Homestuck
Genre: F/M, Fluff, pure fluff, the fluffiest fluff because ducklings are fluffyyyyyy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-03
Updated: 2013-09-15
Packaged: 2017-12-25 11:31:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 25,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/952569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilentAvera/pseuds/SilentAvera
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Not QUITE the family you had envisioned, but damn are those little things cute.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. => Kanaya: Be the Momma Duck

**Author's Note:**

> This ficcy was written for a very lovely person, and I was so very happy to write it =w=

She had never seen it rain so hard that day, cascades of water fell from the sky as if a faucet from the heavenly plumbing was busted. Protection of any kind was null and void, you were going to get wet, and Kanaya Maryam was going to get wet in a rather expensive ensemble. Oh well, nothing that can’t be replaced, if the reason arose to.

She quickly sloshed through the waterway sidewalk, the wind howling furiously from the close nit skyscrapers, and plopped herself down under some protected seating until a cab came by. Alas her own car was in the shop, drowned from another flooding that claimed the parking garage she used.

Her phone buzzed from its pocket protector and she flipped it open whilst flipping her wet hair away from her ear.

“Hello dear, I’m currently waiting on the cab to get here.”

“You’re soaked to the bone aren’t you?”

Kanaya spit a bit of water that had trickled onto her lips from her hair away for emphasis.

“You’ll get the phone wet and electrocute yourself!”

“As fond our bodies are of water, electricity has much bigger things to fry than a fashion designer on her way home.” The following thunder crack and flickering lights answered to that.

“Are you even inside?!”

“Absolutely not, haven’t you heard about the recent fad trending? All the kids are wearing it, it’s called water.”

“Oh my GOD–you have a show in THREE DAYS–you are going to get sick–and you are going to miss it and you are going to mope around and I’m going to have to nurse you back to health like a sick cat or somethin’.”

“You make it sound like that’s a bad thing.”

“Promise me you’ll take a shower as soon as you get home? And wrap yourself in some saran wrap or towels before you step inside, can’t have you slipping and breaking a bone or hip, you’ll be out of work even longer an you hate that.”

“I thought about completely stripping down and placing my garments in a plastic bag, absolutely full proof I think, lest I slip on the already slick tile with my dainty feet.”

“Place ‘em by the washer machine, I’ll get them going, I’m not far from home, I might even beat you there.”

“Well then my arrival indoors should help inspire your research on Roman bathing facilities; they were public were they not?”

“It depends, some were public, some private, and they were called Thermae.”

“I’d like an introduction on the private usage of Thermae then with intimate initiations on how space within the bath was divided on such occasions.”

“Shower’s all yours because unlike some I can command the raindrops to kiss my ass instead.”

“Eridan the signpost you have just passed contained an exclusive message for you.”

“Bullshit it said ‘Wendys’ hardly exclusive and full of calories for the masses.”

“Eridan have sex with me.”

“Shower.”

“Bed.”

“Shower.”

“Bed.”

“Shower.”

“Are you proposing we buy a water-bed Dear?” a groan was heard on the other line, “Because that would do wonders for my brittle bones and weak hip.”

“Is there a cab coming?”

“Yes, and it’s stopping now, see you soon Love.”

“See you soon wwrinkles.”

“I will cut you.”

*Click.*

*Click.*

Kanaya stepped inside the cab and onto plastic shielding on the seat, “1865 Civil Lane please.”

“M’am do you have an umbrella?”

“The wind.” That is one article that will have to be replaced.

~*3*~

With the good graces of the taxi cab driver to let her take the plastic seat shield, Kanaya hurried up the steps to her home and fumbled for the key. It wasn’t raining nearly as hard now, go figure, but the gesture was much appreciated. Ah, Eridan was already home, most likely he already got the shower going as soon as she stepped inside.

“Quuk.”

She’d have missed it if it was raining any harder.

“Quuk, quuk.”

It was coming from the other side of the street, behind a bush. Hm.

Before she could make her decision Eridan peered through the second story window and saw Kanaya looking across to the street _-*taptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptap!*_

Kanaya looked up and saw Eridan animatedly pantomime her to step indoors before he disappeared off into the house.

Well, she couldn’t possibly get any wetter now. Using the plastic shield she slid/glided over the yard and across the slick blacktop before peering behind the brush and spotting a dirty wad of yellow, and then several more dirty yellow wads, and then a few more, and one other. Little beady wide eyes rose from a shaky head and quivering neck, looking directly up at the deeper shadow that shielded it from any further wrath of the storm.

“Quack.”

~*3*~

The doorbell was ringing furiously by the time Eridan limped towards the door, unlocking it, and swinging it wide open.

“Where’s your key?”

“What took you so long?”

“I slipped and fell, Kan, Kan what’s that in your hand?”

“We’re keeping them.”

“KAN” –

“All of them.”

Eridan shifted his gaze from the deathray that was Kanaya’s to the little line of ducklings that followed her inside their home. The last one in line looked up right at him and wiggled its little self, phoofing up it’s soaked down, “Quack!”

The duckling broke from the line, waddled over to Eridan, and curled up on the bridge of his foot.

“Really.” 


	2. => Eridan: Be the Papa Duck

The storm continued to rage outside as Eridan watched Kanaya place the plastic shield on the table, their fine, lace covered table, and then all the little ducklings on top one by one, “One, two, three, four, five, six, six…we’re missing one.”

Eridan lifted his leg up with the last duckling still perched on the bridge of his foot, trying not to fall off.

“Seven,” Kanaya plucked up the seventh duckling and placed it with the bunch, all the ducklings huddling together in front of Kanaya, “Stay here, I’ll be right back.”

“Awesome they understand human right off the bat, lovely….What do they even eat?”

“Duck food, obviously,” said Kanaya returning with an armful of towels, “Here, help me dry them off.”

“Why? They’re duck babies, they’re supposed to be wet, you pulled them out of their natural environment that’s what you did.”

“They’re still little babies, and no baby likes staying wet. Help me Eridan, dry off Dominick.”

_“Dominick?”_

Regardless Eridan grabbed a towel and helped Kanaya dry off the little ones.

“Kan, why don’t we just call one of those nature people or somethin’–you know Nepeta would be thrilled, she works at that park” –

“The zoo.”

“Yes that place, and they have that pond full of these,” he pointed at the ducklings, “Over there with other water birds and fish and people that know how to take care of these things, like a momma duck.”

“Their mother was no where to be found.”

“She was probably gathering food, and now she’s returning to an empty nest she is.”

“There was no nest.”

“So they fell out of the sky then.”

“Quite, and I sail-glided upon an updraft and plucked them–you’re being a little rough with Patricia.”

“Patricia?”

“Quack!”

“Ah, apologies, off you go then, _next”_ but the ducklings preferred the gentler hands of Kanaya, save for one poof that waddled halfway over to Eridan and sat down.

All the dried ducklings together looked like a collection of yellow dandelions fluttering and shaking about with black beads barely showing for eyes, and never-mind their tiny feet barely showing underneath.

“Well now that all a these birds are dried off there’s still one that needs some tendin’ to, shower, please.”

“Talk to them until I get back.”

“Quack,” said Eridan watching his wife undress as she walked away from him.

With a deep sigh, he propped up his head on his hands and looked at the baby ducklings with half lidded eyes, and all yellow poofs looked right back at him with wide beady eyes.

“….So, hello.”

“……”

“Speechless are you? I am too.”

“……”

“Fine weather we’re having,” a far off thunderclap sounded, the duckling mass inched closer to him. “Would you like to go outside? Oh no wait, um,” Eridan covered his mouth a bit with his clasped hands. A loud thunder crack sounded and several scared little peeps escaped from the ducklings, all looking pleadingly at the retracting figure before them.

“What do you want me to do? If it’ll storm it’ll storm and that’s all there is to it.”

Another loud thunder crack and the ducklings squeaked and peeped almost as if they were in pain.

“Don’t look at me like that, I don’t know what to do! I research, and, write, and read, and…”

A duckling waddled forward, and if Eridan’s eyes were as good as Kanaya said they were, it was the same duckling that had rested on his foot, that sat near him as the others dried off.

“What?”

Its little head was all the way back in order to look up at such a stern angle. It raised its little nubby wings at Eridan.

_“What?”_

“Quack.” It wiggled its raised nubs, as if expecting an outcome from Papa.

Oh…?

Like he was about to handle an ice cube, Eridan scooped up the duckling and raised it. Okay. Mission accomplished.

The duckling then held its head out forward, shifting to the tip of Eridan’s grasp, almost like it was asking for…? Eridan then pulled it close to his chest, and the duckling nuzzled his shirt.

All the other little ducklings then rushed to the edge of the table quacking and quacking and jumping and raising their little nubby wings. Eridan had to quickly push his stomach to the edge of the table so the little ones wouldn’t fall off!

“Okay, okay, wait just a second there’s six, seven of you, and only one of me, _just give me a minuet!”_

~*3*~

Kanaya cut her time in the shower by half her usual soaking and walked out quickly with nothing but a towel wrapped around her and her hair. She came upon the sight of an empty table and Eridan sitting against the wall with crossed arms and his legs up in an arch with a light bed sheet over them.

“Where are the ducklings?”

Eridan pointed under him.

“You’re sitting on them?!”

“Absolutely not,” Eridan raised the light sheet and revealed the baby ducklings all huddled underneath the arch of his legs; some had even fallen asleep on one another.

“One two three four five, six...” Kanaya then looked up, “You’re missing one.”

Eridan pulled down the neck of his shirt and a yellow poofy head popped up, “Alexander really took a liking to my shirt.”

“Quack!”

“Kan…” he motioned to all the ducklings, “Really?”

“What do you think, Eri?”

He looked away. She’d have missed it if he spoke any quieter, “(*inhale*)…..Alright.” The smile that greeted him when he did look back sent his heart pounding.

“I think Alex wants to tell you something.”

“His name is Alexander, an’ I can already tell we’re going to have to put Napoleon through duck counseling or something, this storm has scarred her for life or worse.”

Kanaya raised an eyebrow, “You named one of the girls Napoleon?”


	3. Sniffles

The city eventually drained itself from the waterlog of the heavens, giving the sun a chance to sneeze upon the city where Eridan and Kanaya lived, but low, there was a sneeze guard of 26 degrees blocking its breath. The almighty cold-front from the arctic north followed the storms on out and trapped Kanaya where her show was being held.

“Yes Love I’m going to be delayed at least a day or so,” Kanaya sighed into her phone.

“Rent a plane an’ come home.”

“Quack.”

A smile brightened itself on Kanaya, “Is that Alexander?”

“Quack.”

“I’m lying down here on the couch and he kept wanting up so he’s with me on my chest with the, paper and all, the others are in the nest sleepin’ like marbles. They ate like we don’t feed ‘em at all, but I limited them a course, poor things I never thought a baby animal could eat itself to death.”

“They’re just babies Eridan, perhaps no more than two weeks old, they don’t know any better.”

A deep inhale from Eridan lifted Alexander up sharply making him wobble his nubby wings, “So many different things can kill them, an’ they don’t even understand what’s going on, it just, ends them.”

“I’d like to think we’d be a bit more responsible than that.” 

“Patricia and Ozymandias’ noses are still running.”

“Are you sure they aren’t just playing with their water? You know they keep their sinus clean that way.”

“Well then they’re doing it overtime because they’re beaks are always WET. I see the rest of ‘em doin’ it, shaking their little beaks in it, but then they’re dry and Patricia and Ozymandias’ beaks are still WET.” Eridan could sense Kanaya biting her lip across the phone.

“….Try not to worry, they’re all going to the doctor tomorrow. You remembered to call some of our friends up to help you right?”

“Yes, though Nep was too busy at the zoo so Kar is bringing ‘it’ along.”

_“Gamzee?”_

“No the double _‘it’.”_

“Oh,” Kanaya’s voice grew flat, “You will be the bigger man here, won’t you? You have lives in your possession.”

“Yes a course I will I’m not going to let some idiot challenge my means of giving our ducklings a clean bill of health, hell fuckin’ no.”

“Watch your mouth there are children about.”

“Quack.”

Eridan rubbed the top of Alexander’s head lightly, “So you really can’t make it back for tomorrow?”

“No, not even if I rent a plane, which we can’t anyway with the weather.”

“Well while you’re over there why don’t you pick yourself out some more shoes, give yourself a little treat, from what I heard on the radio your show was fantastic.”

“I would treat myself, but what I want is on a couch with a duckling on his chest.”

Eridan’s legs scrunched up a bit crumpling the shield paper on his chest and startling Alexander.

“No no no Alexander, it’s all right, you’re alright” –

“What happened?”

“I, startled him, sorry,” he rubbed Alexander’s chest with his thumb and the duckling calmed down, “I should probably get him to bed soon with the others.”

“Yes that would be a good idea, goodnight Love.”

“’Night wwrinkles.”

*Click.*

*Click.*

Eridan then heard a choking sound that almost shot him up like a rocket if not for the fact that Alexander was still on his chest with the crunchy paper shield. Quickly he moved Alexander and the paper shield onto the floor and glided over to the nest where Patricia was awake and stumbling around the enclosure; Alexander following closely behind his daddy.

“Skurk, cuk, skurk” –

“Shh shh shh shh, come here,” Eridan got down on his knees and picked her up with one hand while with the other he snatched the damp cloth on reserve, “It’s your nose again, shh shh shh shh hold on.” After he wiped it clean, he then picked up a toothbrush, one that he sacrificed, and gently began to flick Patricia’s nose to help clear her passages more. “There, that better now? Breathing better?”

Patricia looked at Eridan though half lidded eyes and a wobbly head and sneezed.

“Well that’ll clear it right up then will it not?”

“Quack!” She wiggled her feet in his grasp and waggled her bottom.

“Alright, alright settle down, off you go now.”

Patricia waddled back to the sleeping bunch and curled right up into duck dreams.

Eridan decided to check Ozymandias as well, and he was sleeping just fine. He didn’t want to disturb him, but he could see his nose and the dangerous possibility of clogging…Well, better to wake him now than having him wake up choking like poor Patricia.

Ozymandias barely awoke at all from Eridan’s handling, something he prided himself a bit in developing softer hands after such a short amount of time. “And now it’s off with you as well Alexander, sleep time.”

He scooped up Alexander and placed him inside the nest as well where he indeed did join the others, but faced his Papa as he poofed up for sleep.

Eridan pulled up a mountain of blankets slowly and carefully for his own bed so the shadows wouldn’t scare the babies should they awake. He learned they could die of heart attacks from fright! And he already had enough guilt mongering from the first day he and the ducklings met, they really must have been squealing in pain from the thunder claps and he felt he more or less had mocked them. And how carelessly he held up dear Alexander with his foot–baby ducklings’ organs were still developing, if he had dropped him, that would have been the end of Alexander!

And how they ever survived the storm in the first place was beyond him.

“What tough little things you all turned out to be,” he mumbled to the poofs while settling in. He wasn’t planning on sleeping very much that night with the threat of Patricia and Ozymandias’ noses giving them problems, in all honesty for what they went through with the storm it was looking to be quite the miracle only two of them seemed to have caught some kind of illness.

That they knew of.

Eridan plopped his head down gracelessly, he’ll never to get any kind of sleep if he kept tormenting himself like this, and he could only imagine the tossing and turning Kanaya would do half a world away. He curled up.

There were secret holes in the bottom sides of enclosure they had made where they could slip their arms in on either side with long silk gloves and claps their hands with the ducklings nestled around their warm grasp. But since it was only Eridan tonight, he quietly put on a long silk glove courtesy of Kanaya (and still smelling a bit like their momma as well) and placed his hand in near the bunch. He felt a head rest on it and he gently petted it in kind.

When he awoke, they were all nestled around his hand. 


	4. Scuttle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know why that question mark persists, but this story has 10 chapters 8l

“I know I know, Papa’s coming,” said Eridan to hungry peeping and quaking while maintaining a balancing act of seven plates full of duck food. “There, no stop, easy, _easy,”_ he chided as the plates descended the peeping ceased with happy beaks occupied.

“Bottomless pits I swear,” said Eridan with a slanted smile watching the ducklings eat their breakfast. They each had their own tiny plate with a bit more than they’ve been having. Kanaya had gotten in touch with Nepeta and assured Eridan that they didn’t need specific feeding times, though their feeding times were good and plentiful, all they needed to do was leave the food out and the ducklings would eat on their own.

But then Papa and Momma complained their food would spoil and hurt their tummies. “Oh wow you guys make it fresh?”

Yup! The parents decided to home make it, even though it took an extra effort and an hour less of sleep on the family’s first night together, but the way their nubs flapped and their tails waggled as they ate was more than enough assurance every bit of their effort was appreciated.  Today was no different with the ducklings leaving not a scrap of breakfast left in-between getting sips of water from their replenishing water fountain.

Finishing a meal was always a rush though, for when they had finished crowding each other eating, even though Eridan kept redirecting them to their own plates, they crowded one another at the water fountain, and there was only one of those, for now. It was easily big enough for all the babies, but they simply insisted on crowding at the corner to the point of where Eridan had to use his arms as barriers to split the group and make sure they all could get their drinks and dip their heads to clean their wittle noses.

“Feeling better today Patricia?”

“Quack!”

“Ozymandias?”

“(*poot.*)”

“Well then.”

Cleaning up after the ducklings was no easy feat either, not at all, and with only one parent home today it all fell on Eridan’s shoulders. Nest cleaning was done in the morning, during their lunch hours, when they came home, and some time before they went to bed.

“Alright, Papa will be right back,” said Eridan taking out the trash, “ _Lovely weather,”_ he spat at the cold as he more or less stabbed and stomped and practically stood on the bag to get it to fit in the trash can. “We’re going to need two of those too,” he said under his breath making a mental note.

“Meow.”

Eridan snapped on alert faster than a chicken spotted by a chicken hawk, and located the cat sitting on their fence, their neighbor’s cat, Big Marley, and he was indeed big; his parents were rather generous on feeding him.

“What are you doing outside?! It’s COLD go home cat before you freeze!”

“Meow.”

Eridan shook his finger at the extremely phoofy cat, “You tell your brother Lucretius this yard is OFF LIMITS until I say so.”

“Meow.” Big Marely blinked loving eyes regardless. 

“I mean it an’ I’m settin’ the sprinklers as a precaution because I know you’ll forget! You won’t like icicles coming at you will you?”

“Meow.”

“Go HOME!”

Finally Big Marely leapt down on the other side of the fence and Eridan peeped through their side to make sure he squished inside his cat door, which he did.

Eridan returned inside with loud peeps and quacks, “Sorry Daddy took a little longer than he meant to.” Then he heard the doorbell and peeps of pain – he flew over to the door unlocking and swinging it wide open hissing, _“So help me GOD you ring that doorbell one more time and I will split your backs down its center!”_

“Eridan what the FUCK,” Karkat spat back.

“There a sign that says knock gently for a reason you flaptwisted IDIOTS! You’re scaring them!”

“We didn’t see a fucking sign,” Sollux retorted, “You” –

“No, no we’re not having none of this asshatery bullshit cacophony today, NOT today,” and Eridan opened the door wide for them to come in, “Hurry up you’re going to have them catch a chill!”

With a more than annoyed shake of his head, Karkat only got Sollux inside with a less than gentle shove from behind. They watched Eridan walk angrily to the ‘nest’, “Holy shit that’s their _nest?”_ It was no surprise it was a comfy nest to say the least, about as comfy as a barbie dream home but for baby duckies.

“Catch a chill?” said Sollux tapping the heat lamp on the end of the enclosure, “How do you like your ducks medium or well done?”

“Shut it, they’re not going to cook under that, if anything Nep says we might need a stronger bulb – now look at what you did,” Eridan pointed to them, huddled, wide eyed, but Napoleon just looked mad. _“Apologize.”_

“QUACK!” Napoleon even stomped her little foot.

Both Karkat and Sollux were still rather, shocked to say the least at the Papa Duck before them, bristled tail feathers and all.

_“They’re waiting.”_

It should also come to no surprise the workings of the mother behind this as well, for both boys had on their phones gentle text messages reminding them to please be the bigger men today, if not for the sake of the precious lives they would meet. Not to mention neither of them would want to upset Kanaya in this equation sooooooooooooooooooooooooo –

“Hey, little, duck-baby, are you alright?” Karkat knelt down and rubbed Madelyn’s head gently and a peep came out. Sollux bent down and tapped Ozymandias’ head twice with his index finger,

“Shoosh.”

Eridan turned his head at an angle, “It’s up to them to accept your apology, they will do as they wish.” He then heard a great big snort from Sollux –it was then all three of their phones buzzed and they pulled them out. Each one had a text from Kanaya with a simple happy face emoticon on it.

(*SHUDDER*)

“Okay,” said Karkat, “Can we for once pretend we’re not personifying human failure and make an actual fucking accomplishment as a team here?”

 “I have their carrier right here,” and Eridan pulled up a pink baby carrier.

“But isn’t that for babies?” asked Sollux.

“Exactly and mine are going in here.”

“How old are these things anyway?” asked Karkat rubbing Dominick’s beak with his pinkie.

“We think they’re about two weeks old or so according to my research, but the specialist will tell us for sure today.”

Along with other things.

Sollux picked up the long silk glove, “I know you get lonely without Kanaya here but really?”

“Shut it, you know how much these babies poop? We can’t be getting sick ourselves they need us.”

Sollux dropped the glove like it was on fire and washed his hands like he was trying to wash off acid.

“Kar help me load them up, just pick them up like that, no support their feet, there, that’s right.”

“Who are you and what have you done with Eridan Ampora?”

“What?”

“You never, not once looked to be of the, duck type,” said Karkat.

“Goes to show how much you know.”

Be the bigger man, be the bigger man, be the bigger man.

Sollux picked at the enclosure, “Did you build this to code?”

“We didn’t have time to make one ourselves you know, I went to the toy store and raided the Barbie Dream house collection and we broke it apart with what the ducklings needed so it’ll do for now.

Sollux couldn’t help but laugh at that, but his phone buzzed again reminding him of the text and he shut up.

“And how is two ditch dick lights going to be helping this task?” said Eridan (*buzz*), fuck, he looked at his ducklings making sure they were nice and comfortable on the paper shield; he slid in a light heater on the end.

Karkat stretched,  “Dick lights” –

“Hey” –

 “Is going to be driving while the two of us with our combined ‘don’t-fuck-this-up’ talents are going to create a shield of impassive fortitude in the back seat.”

Eridan cradled the carrier as if he was carrying breathing glass. “Fine, lets go then.”

The pseudo-mother knew there was no happy ending to having his highness and code deuces sitting together in the back, so he would have to settle for the dog ending.

“They can have a heart attack from fright so you have to drive extra carefully, don’t run any lights, go a couple of miles per hour slower as well but nothing that’ll attract the cops we don’t want to be late for their appointment also you MUST go over bumps at the appropriate speed because Madelyn really hates being off balance – did you even SEE that truck coming – don’t tell me you have double vision ‘cause then how did you even pass your driver’s test oh my god don’t turn so tightly Ozymandias almost fell” –

Karkat arched his neck over to see Sollux’s grip on the wheel was as tight and white as a knotted wet bed sheet. _Buzz, buzz, buzz~_

_Be the bigger man, be the bigger man, be the bigger man._

“There turn here, that’s the place right there.”

_“Thank you god.”_

Buzz! Sollux flipped his phone with an agitated shake, *Thank-You For Being A More Than Decent Driver For Our Offspring.*

_…..How._

~*3*~

Eridan lifted up the baby carrier up onto the specialist’s table, “Oh my,” she commented, “Traveling in style aren’tcha little ones?”

Eridan poofed with pride, they’d travel in nothing less of course. Karkat and Sollux rolled their eyes.

“Arightly let’s see what we got here,” and she plucked them out turning them all about and just as quickly turning Eridan every shade of white with the way she handled them. All ducklings peeping with quivers– _don’t drop them– don’t drop them– don’t drop them– don’t drop them– don’t drop them–_ Eridan moved closer than what was probably allowed.

“Woah there Papa peeps, been doin’ this a long time now, I ain’t gonna drop any dew of sunshine here. So, you say you plucked them right out of a storm ey? Not that same storm that blew the cold front in no?”

“Y-yes, the same one,” Eridan squeaked.

“Oh no,” commented the specialist and sent Eridan’s heart tanking, Karkat papped his arm. “My goodness where did your momma go huh babies?”

“Quack…” :(

“They’re aboooout, two weeks old, yeah, going to be ready to learn how to swim in a bout a week, though you can give them five minuet lessons in warm water until then.”

The sideliners watched Eridan’s eyes sparkle at the swimming lessons, (*eyeroll*).

“Anything you’ve noticed about them?”

Oh.

“PatriciaandOzymandias’noseskeeprunning.”

“Do they now? Any other thing you’ve noticed over the past couple of days?”

“Alexander seems to get tired a lot Napoleon really really hates loud noises Madelyn trips a lot”- and the list went on and on, half of which the specialist was able to calm Eridan with it being ‘normal baby duck syndrome’ –

“Is it fatal” –

“No,” the specialist laughed, “Now listen here, for what they went through, they made it out with aces. More than likely they’d have died if their new mom didn’t make the decision she did; ducklings need lots of care and warmth. Now,” she shifted her stance a little, “I’m going to give you a little bit of medicine to help Patricia and Ozymandias, but I’m a tad concerned with Alexander here. All the others are packing on their growth, but he seems to be a bit behind. He could just be a runt, but I want you to keep an eye on how tired he gets, also come here, press here, there feel that, that’s his heart beat” –

“I know I check it myself” –

“Good, keep checking it, if the beats become irregular bring him right back.”

“Will do.”

All in all the over-all doctor’s report was positive save for the little bump with Alexander. The baby ducklings were moving along with the care of their parents, and in a week they would be swimming! And then later on, they would have to learn how to fly. And then…

The vet pointed out to Eridan that these ducklings were not a domestic species (though they sure as hell looked like one as Eridan thought), and that as their bodies grew, so would their taste to take off. Eridan held the baby carrier by himself tightly on their way home (he kept telling Karkat he got them) as the new information bounced inside of him coarsely. He cooed to them all the way home and they cooed back and nuzzled up as close as they could to Papa, even almost going as close to building a pyramid out of themselves so at least one could hug daddy, “No no don’t do that, if he hits those breaks you all will go flying, and you’re no where near ready yet for your first lesson.”

“(*Groan.*)”

Buzz buzz~

~*3*~

The least Eridan could do to thank the sideliners was to feed them as he called Kanaya to give the what’s what. Their fridge was practically raided, “You said we could have whatever” –

Then Eridan shooed them on out of the house with a “Thank-you Kar” and a “Thanks for not killing us Sol,” after which the ducklings were itching to spend some quality time with Papa. Activities consisted of watching daddy type for work, watching daddy make food for them, watching him clean up after them, follow daddy everywhere around the house, except upstairs where they were forced to wait and they would cry pitifully and Eridan had to race up for what he needed and then come back down.

“(*Huff, huff, huff *) Aren’t you all supposed to be taking a nap or something by now?”

“QUACK!” 8D

Not with that energy, obviously, but a couple laps of chasing papa around the house exhausted the lot of them, especially Alexander whom was nearly down to a wobble. Upon noticing, Eridan stopped so abruptly the rest of the ducklings crashed into the back of his foot, much disjointed peeping was had.

Eridan scooped up Alexander and petted them all, then he led his brood over by the wall, sat down and arched up his legs, and they all huddled up underneath save for Alexander who was always wanting up with raising his nubby wings. Eridan complied by settling him down on his abdomen as he took out one of his books to read while the ducklings fell asleep.

He was more or less scanning the pages. He was feeling out Alexander, every little tiny breath that fed his lungs, looking underneath his book to just see him there, so small, this little phoof of yellow thinking everything right now is just perfect with a soft place to sleep on.

Swimming, and flying, swimming and flying. 

~*3*~

Kanaya about decided that the future needed to hurry up and make teleportation devices as she pulled out her key for the front door and opened it, “Mommy’s home now dears,” she happily sighed, and as soon as she entered their home, rounding the corner was a stampede of ducklings swarming at her feet, all jumping and peeping and quacking, “Aou, Mommy has indeed missed her little darlings so much,” she knelt down and made kissy faces at them all, “One two three four-five, six, six, seven” – before she was scooped into a ninja hug from the right flanks with a swarm of kisses to the side of her own face, “Ah, eight,” she managed to get out before the trail of kisses found her own. 


	5. ===_> Ducklings: Waddle

The cold weather left the home a warm hearth, and with a day of rest came the first day in a while that the entire family could spend together. And of course, with Momma around, the ducklings ate their breakfast at their own dishes upon the first time she asked them to.

Eridan scoffed, “And you all couldn’t do this for me _why?”_

Napoleon looked her dad in the eye, “Quack.”

“Watch your sass young lady.”

“Eridan, count with me, one two three four” –

“Five six, six” –

_“Six” –_

And before the parents head’s snapped themselves off from whipping all about, _tap tap tap tap tap, ringaling!_ – they turned towards the glass back door and saw their little teleporter tapping on the glass.

_“Houdini!”_

Houdini, the seventh duckling, always had a nack for just being on the edge of the pack, and in his parent’s peripheral vision. Kanaya had made a bell collar for him to wear yes, but he moved so swiftly sometimes the alarm failed to sound until just before his disappearing act, giving Eridan and Kanaya just enough time to bolt around the room and find him before he hurt himself in some way.

“Ah my little escape artist, how are you going to shave off a couple years of my youth today?”

Opposite the blood pressure trigger was Patricia, mommy and daddy’s little princess. She ate daintily, walked carefully, and was cautious of her surroundings, if momma or papa was there, it was safe to be there as well. Kanaya made her a little back gown that also doubled for keeping her warm, they noticed she tended to catch the shivers the quickest before she could get back to the heat lamp. Kanaya also tried to make her a tiara of lace but it kept slipping off.

Madelyn insisted on hopping as much as she waddled. Eridan blamed the birds that would come and visit on their back porch, hopping along where Madelyn could see them through the glass and flapping their fully developed wings. He swung open the door and promptly shooed them away – to which Madelyn would then scurry past though his feet – “Nononono sweetie come back inside you’re not ready yet!”

Kanaya would be lying if she said she didn’t catch amusement from watching her tall, lanky  husband trail after a little phoof of yellow all about the back yard.

Dominick had to wear clothes, all the clothes, all of them, and he weighed himself down so much from his mother’s makings, he didn’t waddle after his parents, he rolled. He was mommy’s little fashionista, modeling for the other ducklings when they didn’t want to sit still for the time momma needed to make the adjustments she needed.

_“Kan can he even breathe under all a that?”_

“Oh he’s wrapped himself again,” Kanaya scooped up the little clothes ball and peeled all the layers back revealing the phoof underneath, “Can’t have you overheating yourself Love,” but she let him keep one article of clothing on, a jade and violet scarf.

You know, fashion.

Ozymanidas was nothing like tragic poetic figure he was named after. He was gentle and a snuggler, and was always in the middle of the sleep pile. Momma made him a special little pillow (she made all of them pillows of course) that he could easily slip on his back and take with him wherever he went so wherever he wanted to snuggle, pillow buddie was right there. He was the most laid back of the ducklings and loved it every time papa became what Kanaya dubbed “The Tentiden.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Eridan you are the tent, the shelter they seek, accept it that underneath in that space is a haven of the highest quality” –

“There _are_ children in your presence.”

However, Napoleon was nearly every bit the pompous general she was named after. She poofed out her chest, waggled her early feathers coming in proudly, and walked with every bit as much authority as her father did. She chased any bug that came inside until it retreated or surrendered. She was the first to wake, the first to eat, and the last to snuggle up. She patrolled with her father, watched the outside with calculation, and had a growing affinity for shinny things. She was always pecking at her mother’s necklaces and earrings – her parents had to be doubly careful she never ate any of it; they learned that was an actual disease of ducks.

“Death by shinny things, Kan I thought it was a joke, but it’s _real!”_

“It’s only fatal if she eats any of it dear, she can like shiny things, we just have to make sure she doesn’t eat any of it.”

“KAN SHE’S GOT A JEWEL” –

“NAPOLEON NO” –

And thus, the shiny of the house was banished to the upstairs, a place Napoleon would die to explore. But with the less shiny, she had more time to focus being pompous and taking charge of the brood; she always peeped at Alexander to come to the brood when it was time to sleep but Alexander…

Alexander was daddy’s little boy.

“Make him a scarf Kan, you know the one just like my favorite.”

Alexander was never seen without it from that day forward.

~*3*~

In about a week and half’s time the cold front blew itself out with warmer temperatures on the horizon, and not a moment sooner, the ducklings were itching to explore what lay beyond the double glass door that teased them a backyard of wonder.

“You told them stories didn’t you Madelyn?”

“Quack!” :D

But before they even set foot outside the door, the ducklings were bundled up with a little more protection and then waddled outside (Dominick rolling about in his clothing glory.)

“Kan…”

“Don’t worry the layers are thin, he’ll be just fine.”

But what was really the highlight of the day was to come with was the swimming lessons in the pool. The little ones could be satisfied in roaming the bathtub for so long, but it at least gave the parents a gauge at where they all were at in terms of swimming strength. Napoleon and Madelyn were surging forward with Little Alexander trailing behind the rest unfortunately.

It wasn’t an easy task getting their pool in order from the winter rubbish and safe for ducklings, but it was done and warmed up for the little ones.

“Follow Daddy now, watch, come down the stairs,” though the stairs were steps for Eridan, they were jumps for the babies, and by the second slanted one, they were floating and kicking about, but Kanaya kept all of them back where they could still stand until Eridan was ready.

Alexander had a small flotation ring just open enough where he could kick himself about in the water with ease. If he got tired and slipped under from his parent’s watch they’d never forgive themselves, and Kanaya was already counting them frequently, as was Eridan; he was about a couple feet away.

They were already pushing at Kanaya’s arms to let them go, and when she finally obliged, it was a frenzy to reach papa! Eridan shaved a foot off the distance with a small stroke towards them and they all huddled around his chest.

“Goodness,” Kanaya laughed helping Eridan calm them down, “Shh shh shh, the water isn’t going anywhere dears, calm down, calm down.” When they had settled on a rhythm, Kanaya took four ducklings while Eridan took the other three and walked slowly backwards, leading them on to truly test out their swimming legs.

“Mommy’s so proud of her little darlings, coo coo~.”

“Quack quack!”

“That’s it, right right, take a stroke and hold it.”

“Eridan, let’s remove the flotation ring from Alexander for a bit” –

“Why?”

“He needs to experience some swimming on his own, that ring is doing all the work for him, it would be in his best interest to let him attempt this.”

With more than a bit of reserve, Eridan slid the ring down from Alexander into the water and watched his little boy kick around, he had his hands cupped right under the duckling if he got tired though, “Think, you can make it to me, Alexander?”

“Quack.” The little duckling was on a mission. He kicked his little legs and moved the short distance of the length of Eridan’s arms to his chest. “Quack, quack.”

“It’s not a race Alexander, take all the time you need.”

“Quack,” aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand, he made it, Eridan seeing his little chest heaving up and down he quickly put back on the flotation device, “Excellent swimmin’, the finest I’ve ever seen, an’ your daddy was a swimmer in all a his school years so I right know what I’m talking about!”

And for all the swimmer’s glory, he dog paddled along side the ducklings.

“Kan what is that?”

“A water proof camcorder Love.” 


	6. Brood

The weather continued to warm with trims of cold and a returning bit of rain. By now the duckling’s sense of independence had grown tremendously with Napoleon and Madelyn leading escapades through the flower beds and grass of the backyard, all under the watchful gaze of their parents.

On the days where it drizzled, Kanaya had them all dressed up in little rain coats, their bodies were independent in keeping themselves warm now, but it didn’t hurt to be on the safe side.

Putting in a duck door so they could have free flow outside whenever they wished was discussed, Kanaya being for it while Eridan was against it, so the compromise was made that would wait till they were about 6 weeks old to do so.

And how the time flies.

Another week and a half had past, and feathers were emerging from their tails and their chests replacing some of the baby soft down that covered them. The evening was starting to come in and Kanaya was at her table making new casual blouse design sketches with Patricia and Ozymandias curled up next to her feet with his little cuddle pillow. Kanaya tried to make him a new pillow since he was out growing it, but he was so dearly attached to the first one, there wasn’t any bargaining to be done for a new one.

Eridan was picking up the trail of duckling clothes typically left behind by Dominick when he picked up one article that TYPICALLY wasn’t his, Patricia’s old back dress; he sighed through his nose.

How quickly these little ones were growing! But, really, it, just gave his wife more opportunities to make clothes for them he thought (the more clothes the ducklings discarded, the bigger Dominick’s rolly polly self grew.)

“Kan he’s going to snowball himself to death,” said Eridan watching the rolly polly of clothes that was Dominick roll by.

“Actually the ducklings are getting better at regulating their body temperatures Love, try not to put too much unwanted thought into it. Take a look over at him now.”

He looked and saw Dominick shuffling himself out of the clothes ball and giving himself a good phoof, puffing out some of his chest feathers coming in.

Oh, but wait, this article wasn’t old, in fact Kanaya had just made it for Madelyn the other day, an adventure’s hat. He held it up for her to see, “You don’t want this anymore?” he asked her curiously.

OAO!!! “QUACK!” Madelyn quickly scuttled over, plucked it from her dad, and popped it right on her head while waggling her tail sheepishly.

Eridan gave a smile while petting the side of her head, “Careful with it now, we don’t want to lose what’s precious.”

“Quack!” :D And she waddled away. Her stride was longer now and she disappeared quicker from sight off into another adventure about the living room.

Eridan felt a tug in his chest and another at the ankle of his house pants, it was Alexander, and he was looking up at him with wide loving eyes. Still small, well smaller, he had grown a bit, but not too much; he had only a couple of feathers coming in at the chest and tail, but you had to really look to see them.

“What do you need?”

Alexander put his (slightly) longer nubs up.

Ah, of course <3

“Honestly Eridan,” Kanaya smiled as she continued to sketch out another design, “I think Alexander has spent more time in your arms than he has walking.”

“Since when are we the kind a people to deny our kids anythin’?” Eridan was now cradling Alexander with the young duck resting his sleepy head on his dad’s arm.

Kanaya took off the camera hanging from around her neck and quickly snapped a photo. Aside from being a fashion designer, she had become quite the photographer, and having a camera hanging from around her neck became quite the necessary accessory.

_Ring-a-ling~_

Both parents immediately went on the alert for Houdini antics but Napoleon put their minds at ease with giving away his location by the front door with several loud QUACKS. Something was holding both of their interest awfully earnestly out there.

Eridan walked over there, “What is it?” He looked out the window and didn’t see anything amiss, that is until he saw two glowing eyes in the distance and a very loud *HIIIIIIIISSSSSSS* that came from Napoleon – Houdini gave one ring and disappeared all the way behind his momma disturbing Patricia and Ozymandias.

“Darling what is it?”

“It’s alright,” said Eridan with a responsive glare to the two glowing eyes (Napoleon doing the same), “Absolutely nothin’ wouldn’t dare cross the sanctity a our home.”

Napoleon tapped on the glass hard, and the two eyes scampered off with a small meow.

“Hmp, Lucretius no doubt,” Eridan muttered under his breath. He felt Alexander retreat in his arms, sticking his head nearly under Eridan’s armpit to hide, “It’s alright, it’s alright,” he even gave a small kiss to the back of Alexander’s head, “Nothin’ is going to happen to you, daddy won’t let it.”

“Darling?”

“EEK! Kan don’t sneak up on me like that!”

“Well what was it?”

“It was a stupid cat, probably Lucretius, you know how he just, STARES sometimes, he’s fuc – frickin’ creepy that one.”

~*3*~

Night had finally rolled in. Ducklings and parents had full bellies (parents having ordered out with the ever busy feeding of their babies) and all were beginning to settle down for the night. Ozymandias found himself a new cuddle spot with Madelyn who had fallen asleep at the glass door that overlooked the back porch with a gorgeous view of the moon.

Eridan was on the couch again with his drink in hand and with Alexander having curled up to the right of him while he was eating; he looked over at Madelyn, “She has dreams that one.”

“Indeed she does Darling.”

Eridan looked at Alexander, then to Madelyn, then back to Alexander again, and on the tip of his tongue lingered a discussion, but his lips were pulled wide like a taught wire and took up his drink and sucked deeply on his straw.

“You’ll catch brain freeze.”

“That’s the point,” he said through his sucking.

_Ding-dong._

Another distraction, hurrah. Eridan made sure Alexander was still settled and then got himself up while still suckling on his staw, Napoleon following close behind him and he opened the door.

“HEEEEY Baby Brother! 8D”

Eridan’s lips drooped with straw loosely in place, “Fef, you’re, in town, w-when” –

“So where are all my nieces and nephews that I keep hearing about ah? Lemme see ‘em lemme seeee ‘em!”

Eridan curled in his lips on his straw a bit and simply pointed to Napoleon, and she gave her aunt a salute.

Feferi looked back and forth between brother and “niece” with a frozen smile, “That’s a duck.”

“No it’s the Easter bunny” –

“Eridan who is that? Is that Feferi?”

“No it’s the Easter Bunny!” Feferi replied cheerfully and giving a snortful laugh and playful shove on her younger brother’s shoulder – Napoleon took that for a threat and, “(*HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS*)”

“Oh my! Firey one isn’t she?”

“You don’t know the half of it” –

“Well I’d like to! I heard you guys turned your place upside down for babies and here I thought you finally managed to score the ring toss! What am I going to do with all these toys I bought?”

“Kan come your husband is hurt” –

“Oh stuff your apples, it isn’t like it’s completely broken” –

“CAN WE PLEASE CHANGE THE TOPIC FEF” –

Patricia joined Napoleon’s side,

_Who is that poofy intruder? e-e_

_I don’t know, but she’s making dad awfully red e-e_

Kanaya shuffled passed her little ducklings and a VERY distressed Eridan to give Feferi a welcomed hug –

_TAKE HER OUT MOM!_ >:O

“Home for not even a minuet and you’re already riling up his feathers; insistent on keeping up family bonds I see.”

“But of course!” Feferi giggled back while pulling away, “Soooooooo you guys haven’t” –

Kanaya brushed it off weightlessly with a shrug, “No no, not in a while.”

“OH, so you haven’t in a WHILE” –

Eridan was flustered beside himself, behind himself, over himself, under himself _, “It’s not like that Fef – wwe’vve been busy taking care of the kids an’ all an’ let me tell you it’sh a 24 hour a day sevven days a wweek kind of thing”–_

Ozymandias joined his sisters, _Is dad going to pop?_ O_O

_Dear brother of mine, gather our brood_   >:(

“You sound so cute talking through a straw you knoww that?” Feferi commented wrinkling up her nose and pinching Eridan’s lovingly with her hand.

“Shtop.”

“Of course, it’s howw we met,” said Kanaya pinching Eridan’s nose herself.

“Wwhy.”

“What was the very first thing you said to me Love?”

They both knew it made Eridan blush ferociously every time they forced him to say it, and this time was no exception, especially under current circumstance, “Is that a twwinkle in your eye or a wwrinkle.”

Feferi burst out laughing, _“What were you EVEN trying to say?!”_

 Eridan finally took his mouth off the straw and hissed himself this time.

Napoleon didn’t wait for reinforcement from her siblings, she outright charged Feferi and threw a hissy fit of all hissy fits –

“GOODNESS!” –

_“Napoleon,”_ said Kanaya firmly, Napoleon froze, and then sucked in her neck giving small hisses and sat directly in front of her daddy, placing herself in-between him and her aunt.

“Alright I think we’ve had enough interjecting jibes  Feferi,” said Kanaya placing her hands on a very deflated Eridan’s shoulders, “Would you like to enjoy some dinner with us?”

“No she would not like to join” –

“I’d be delighted!”

As the ladies turned towards the kitchen Eridan turned and walked to the couch, gently placed a very concerned Alexander on the ground _(Daddy?),_ and then collapsed face forward on it with insistent and deeply concerned peeping and quacking swarming the side of the couch instantly.

“Daddy’s fine, daddy’s just fine,” said Eridan blandly to the couch while placing his arm over the side and letting all his duckling/young ducks twirl and flutter and nudge under him. “Really, Daddy’s just fine, his pride, has just been hurt a bit is all, (*snort*).”

He put his drink down on the floor away from the swarming concern and turned himself towards all seven ducklings looking at him about as wide eyed as they did when they first met.

Honestly, since when did they get so big already? He remembered when they were just a fraction of the couch’s height, now they were half way to being eye level with the cushions (Napoleon being the tallest already was however.)

Alright it’s not THAT much bigger, but still it was progress of what’s to come.

That could wait couldn’t it?

“You know…your mommy has a big heart, she did what any outstanding human bein’ would have done….Daddy had to take a little persuasion, and for that he is sorry.”

Sometimes he thought she sowed just one more lifeline into the tapestry of family she wove that night weeks ago.

Mere _weeks_ , and…even if it was just a shred of confidence of…

“You think, I’m doing alright, by, you all?”

_Daddy we love you <3 _

_We love you soooooooooooo much!_

_You are a very acceptable father figure!_

_I really like how you hug us!_

_Best tent daddy ever!_

_You always make it safe to play!_

_Thank-you for being our Daddy :)_

Eridan slipped himself from the couch to the floor and again the ducklings swarmed him. He sat down crossing his legs in front of him with ducklings spilling over the side of his legs trying to get in a space, they all barely fit in his lap now, in fact he had to carry Alexander over them, not that he or Alexander minded.

He saw it in the way they all looked at him and phoofed up and some were even getting comfortable because it’s ALWAYS safe where Daddy and Mommy were, and Daddy’s lap cuddles were simply the best.

Eridan reached over them all, holding Alexander carefully, and gave them a hug as one in which all ducklings returned (Alexander hugging his head).

“Are you alright over there Darling?”

He smiled as the ducklings eyes grew bright in seeing their daddy okay, which only made him smile even more, “I am.”

Kanaya and Feferi appeared over the top of the couch and Feferi let out the biggest “D’AAAAAWWWW~!” (although Napoleon hissed at her) at the sight of her baby brother hugging ducklings; Kanaya again whipped out her camera and took another picture.

“Oh!” Feferi tapped the side of Kanaya’s shoulder, “You know what you guys should do? You should throw them a birthday party! I mean why not?!”

Kanaya and Eridan’s eyes locked at the end of that statement, and there was no hope for either of them.

~*3*~

After Feferi left with some extra food and a promise that she would be in town long enough for the “teeny, just a little thing, nothing fancy, really” birthday party, it was time once again to get the brood to bed.

Everyone was huddled into their expanded nest, and momma and papa settled down once again on either side and clasped their hands as their babies gathered around them.

“Oh, almost forgot,” Kanaya quickly got up and plucked up a newly purchased music box, it just simply took them forever to find the one they already had after they had moved all the shiny upstairs, but this one more than did the trick.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven turns and away it went to sing their babies off into dreams.

Momma and Papa sighed as it played, Eridan feeling his wife stroke his hand lovingly and he returning the caress in kind. He couldn’t see her through the duckling pile, but he knew she was smiling at him, and he did the same.

They’d take all the nights they could get like this, just like this. One more night with them as babies was more than what they could ever ask for.

One more night as a family was more than what they could ever ask for. 


	7. Bonds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I really like the idea of adults, grown and in their own cacophony of rambling life, sitting down in a circle, and playing duck, duck goose.

Kanaya lay awake next to her ducklings, hand still clasped with her husband’s underneath the warm pile of ever receding baby down and feathers. Madelyn had started sleeping off to the side of the core cuddles, as did Napoleon and Houdini despite their parents (Eridan’s, mainly Eridan’s) encouragement to still enlist in the cuddle pile. Hmph, Napoleon would scoff and quack at her dad for treating her like a duckling. Eridan crossed his arms and glared right back at her, “You can grow up _too fast_ you know, there are some things that must be cherished.”

Kanaya caught that slight waver at the end that Eridan’s own ears will have pretended to have missed, unintentional or not.

She sighed. Everyone else was still sound asleep, Ozymandias was even snoring his cute little snore that sounded like a small zipper being done and undone, while Eridan was snoring a less cute snore that even included some gurgling.

The birthday party was today after another week of planning, and another phase of the ducklings, or rather, young ducks now, had come and gone. Napoleon was nearly fully feathered already with the others coming along nicely, except for Alexander, he was still more phoofy than feathery.

Truth be told Kanaya was more than ready to get up and start setting things up for the party, there wasn’t much left to do though. A majority of the preparation was done throughout the week as things fell into place, but instead she decided to let the sun shake off its own snores some more, and observe the little family before her.

They had been rushing all week, she could take her time getting her blood flowing for the day since it held promise to be a full one indeed.

Already adorning the living room were long streamers hanging overhead, and outside several tables were set up with a few lavish outside decorations (Eridan learned very quickly to simply tell the retailers that their “kid” just really liked ducks okay). Before the planning, the parents had installed blinds on the glass doors, so the young ducks were oblivious to what their parents were planning.

The heartbreaking look Madelyn gave them once the blinds were installed nearly broke ‘em into revealing what they had planned so far, and then the peeping and squeaking on why they couldn’t go outside anymore, “It’s only temporary, I promise sweeties, It’s only temporary, please try to understand.”

However the front of the house was devoid of party spoilers, so Eridan sucked it up with his wife’s insistence and called Feferi when Karkat wasn’t available to come over and watch their babies play outside while they worked indoors. Eridan and Kanaya exchanged glances hearing Feferi play so adamantly with them, squealing, calling out imaginary monsters on the run, their kids peeping right back, running, jumping, hopping about as she chased them and they chased her.

Things that didn’t need to be set up yet had been sent to the forbidden upstairs with one parent distracting the young ducks while the other quickly snuck the loot upstairs, which unfortunately, one time in the evening, caused a slight mishap of Kanaya slipping on her house shoes when racing up the stairs two at a time– “ALAS” – Eridan screeched as he raced over to provide some kind of cushion as she fell back, and the young ducks were sent into a tizzy watching their parents crash to the floor covered in a fantastic garden spread (Patricia and Ozymandias were on the verge of racing over to BRACE their parents, but Houdini and Napoleon grabbed a tail feather each and stopped them – _You’ll be crushed!)_ _;O;!!!_

“Uuuuuugh…What on earth possessed you to go up two at a time in your silken house shoes?” asked Eridan to the ceiling.

“I wanted to quicken my pace as much as possible,” replied Kanaya to the floor, she then situated herself where her face was parallel with Eridan’s, “Anything in need of repair?”

“My ass, it cries.”

She gave a kiss on the lips, “Anything else?”

“My back.”

*Kiss.*

“My neck.”

*Kiss.*

“My elbow.”

*Kiss.*

That time Eridan wrapped his arms around her in a hug, but before a deeper kiss was sought by Kanaya, they both heard a squeak. They looked up and saw their young ducks with wide _curious_ eyes.

 _“Um”_ –

“Yes Love, hiding your face in my breasts is a sure fire way to dodge the question.”

“No Kan really, I’m taking on their behavior, once they see Daddy hiding, they’ll think it’s just a game we’re playing and won’t think anymore of it….Are they still looking?”

“Intently.”

Decorations aside, the biggest challenge of the party planning was the cake.

“You want us to do, what?”

“A birthday cake that is edible for ducks, they’re almost out of their duckling phase so it needs to be rich in, hello? _Hello?_ _THIS IS NOT A PRANK!”_

But apparently every bakery in the city thought so, and the only bakery that actually COULD make a cake specifically for ducks of that age, a bakery that specialized in making cakes for pets, may as well have been located in Narnia.

“Kan, kinda good news, I found one!”

“Excellent.”

“They’re located in, Illinois, and they don’t deliver out of state, BUT they were very nice and gave me the recipe so we can just make it ourselves, but we have to start today.”

“You put Alexander on the phone didn’t you?”

“I told them my son really liked their designs and he started peeping, he had them at hello, little charmer he’s becoming.”

“Oh he takes after the best you know~”

Putting the cake together was a battle in itself. What would give experienced bakers a day in hell gave two parents, one who barely knew how to make ramen, a trip to the 11th circlet of Dante’s personal fuckitall.

“Oh god what have I made, this isn’t frosting, this is SLIME, _SLIME” –_

Kanaya pressed two fingers to his lips, “Dear. It needs to thicken in the fridge.”

“Mh.” He gave a quick peck to her fingers and went right back to work, “How’s your part goin’?” he turned to look over at his wife’s station and had to crane his head back to take in all the dishes that had been sacrificed to the batter god.

“Progress,” she stated.

Kanaya folded those memories back into their place and let go of her husband’s hand, carefully retracting it from the cuddle pile. She pushed herself up from the pile of pillows, covers and bedding and gave a hearty stretch, hearing a small peep from one of the young ducks. It was Patricia, she had stirred up and was slowly blinking her little black eyes awake and yawning. She stood up and waggled her tail walking over to mom.

“Good morning sweetie,” Kanaya whispered picking her up, “Wanna help mommy make some coffee for daddy?”

“Quack! :D”

“Also how about we go to the forbidden upstairs together huh? Watch mommy bring down some surprises!”

“OAO!!!! QUACK! QUACK!”

“Shhh,” Kanaya giggled, “Okay come on now.”

Patricia pecked at a few coffee beans as Kanaya quietly crushed the rest, set the filter, poured the water, and then whisked Patricia off the counter, “Whoooo~!” to which the young duck giggled and peeped. Away they went upstairs, Kanaya holding out Patricia as if she was flying with Patricia holding out her growing wings with more little happy peeps, she even tucked in her little feet.

Once upstairs, passed the amazing forbidden shiny, Kanaya reached their bedroom, parts of which had a little bit of dust gathered. She set Patricia down on their bed which hadn’t been used in weeks, over a month now really, and she watched Patricia wobble and waddle around on the soft bedding for a bit until she remembered what they were up here for and went to gather some more decorations. When she looked up again over at Patricia, she only saw a waggling tail from under the covers near the pillows, and then Patricia backing out, phoofing up her feathers and little bit of poof left.

The young duck then noticed a trail of light spilling on the bed, she followed it all the way to the edge before stopping and observing the window from whence it came, and the breathtaking scenery it showed of outside, of the morning just breaking in over the tree tops with a clear sky and a few clouds to catch even more colors of dawn.

Kanaya set the decorations down on the bed and picked up Patricia, walking her right up to the window. That was another thing, the weather, it had been absolutely perfect since the birthday party was decided upon and gave the parents one less thing to worry about. She held Patricia close as she observed the wild yonder from their second story window, “Remember Patricia, everything the light touches, is our kingdom. A person’s time as a parent, rises and falls like the sun. One day Patricia, the sun will set on our time here, and will rise with you with your own family of little ones.”

Patricia beamed at her momma, and Kanaya beamed at her little girl. The scent of coffee had reached upstairs and Kanaya knew it wouldn’t be long before Eridan was finally awake with that.

“Alright, let’s get back downstairs, and remember, we keep this little secret okay?”

“Quack! :3” Patricia gave her a mom a little peck on the cheek. Kanaya then had a little bit of trouble looking out the window.

~*3*~

Eridan awoke to the wonderful smell of coffee, some music playing, and a bare hand, which shot him up like a light, but then he spotted Alexander at the very edge of the enclosure where he was and relaxed a little. Alexander phoofed up and peeped and quacked at him, _Good morning Daddy :3 It’s okay!_   Eridan noticed Alexander had taken off his little scarf; it was nearly outgrown for him, and had put it on his dad’s hand to keep him warm.

“Oh no, son, this is your’s,” Eridan wrapped it around his neck, “I’m fine, thank-you so much.”

He got himself up with Alexander trailing behind him to see Kanaya from behind as she washed some little duck food plates. One still had food on it and had been set aside for Alexander; the little duck quickly rushed over to enjoy the breakfast mush.

“Morning Love~,” said Kanaya over the radio.

Eridan stretched, “Oooooooh, goodmorning Dearest Wwrinkles~” Eridan began to pour himself a cup of coffee.

[[S] I'm Alive](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SevA6D55XU)

One particular song came onto the radio and Kanaya turned it all they up, humming along with it, then, “ _I get wings to fly, ooooh~, ooooh~,_

_I’m alive.”_

Eridan saw Kanaya’s foot tapping along to the beat, then their kids starting to bob up and down one by one with the beat –waddle their tails in time with the beat, oh noooooooooo –

 _“Yeah~.”_ Kanaya turned around, swinging her hips in time, holding out her hand and inviting Eridan to join them, or rather dooming him to, he only laughed in delighted bewilderment,

“Kan,”

 _“When you call on me_ , sing with me Love,” –

Eridan laughed, _“Kan”_ –

 _“When I hear you breathe_ ,” she twirled around with her arms slightly out, _“I get wings to fly, I feel that, I’m alive~”_

He put his cup down, “Nay siren, I must resist, I shall” –

 _“When you look at me_ , aha I see your foot moving” –

“Nope,” he stepped on it.

 _“I can touch the sky, I know that, I’m alive~”_ Kanaya pushed off Eridan’s foot with her own to release his betraying dancing foot,

“It knowws not wwhat it does” –

“Using that line of seduction again? _Mmm~”_

Temptress wife and bouncing and dancing kids be damned, _“Oooooh~”_ Eridan took his wife’s hand and twirled her about – both stepping lightly around their kids below –

_“Ahaaaa~”_

_“When you bless the day,”_ Eridan wrapped her hands in front of her and swayed with her behind her,

_“I just drift away~”_

A quick kiss, and then together, _“All my worries die, I’m glad that, I’m alive!”_

They separated and Eridan then stole another kiss from Kanaya when he twirled her close, “ _You set my heart on fire,”_

Kanaya lidded her eyes, _“Fi~ll me with love~”_

 _“Made me a wom_ – no wait –switch lyrics with me” –

“ _On clouds above,”_ Kanaya laughed and snorted,

“Graceful~”

“Oh here’s one for you, Love, _I couldn’t get much higher”_ –

“That one time with Gamzee’s fuckin’ brownies” –

“ _My spirit takes flight,”_ she spread out her arms with the kids bouncing below, _“‘cause I’m alive~!”_

_“Oooooohhhhh~!!”_

“When you call on me!”

 _“When you call on me~!”_ He dipped her,

“When I hear you breathe!”

And she was swung right back up, _“When I hear you breathe!”_

_“I get wings to fly,”_

Ozrmandias waggled,

_“I feel that,”_

Dominick spun,

_“I’m alive!”_

Patricia and Houdini bobbed together,

_“I am ali~ve!”_

Napoleon hopped and flapped,

“When you reach for me!”

_“When you reach for me!”_

Madelyn spread her wings wide,

_“Raising spirits high!”_

However Alexander was already out of breath from dancing,

_God knows that –_

But Napoleon quickly popped up her brother onto her back and continued to dance –

 _“That I’ll be the one, standing by, through good and through trying ti~mes”_ –

Alexander stood up on his sister’s back and spread his wings –

_“And it’s only begun, I can’t wait for the rest of my liiiiiiife~!”_

*Knock knock knock!*

“Oh, pfft.” Kanaya turned down the radio, walking carefully around her still bouncing babies, not noticing the conga line forming of young ducks still dancing to the song after her. She opened the door and in popped a brightly dressed Feferi with a grin as wide as the morning,

“Today’s the big daaaay! 8D I also brought a few more decorations in the truck and their gifts are all in the back! Oh my gosh, _are they dancing?!”_

“Join us,” Kanaya said flatly, grabbing Feferi by the hands and claiming other victim by pulling her in.

It certainly eased the burden with another help around, today the kids were kept strictly indoors until it was time, and even then between the three of them it was a handful distracting them while they went back and forth upstairs and outside. Houdini was kept in sight at all times, the little sneaker, especially when teamed up with Madelyn, he distracted the adults whilst she made a break for it outside –

“AH AH!” Auntie Feferi scooped her up, the little one’s face glowing with her wings over her beak, “Not a word to the others, understand missy?”

She set Madelyn down and the little one waddled off with peeping and quacks surrounding her yet she kept her beak shut, only her eyes betrayed that there was WONDERS about outside.

Then it came time to give them all a bath, Kanaya had made them all new outfits to wear especially for today, and with three adults washing it went by much faster, or it would have if the little ones would stay still, the excitement reverberating off the adults was contagious.

“Yes Kar I will keep that lovely detail tucked away in the most immediate recesses a my mind yes thank you for that,” said Eridan half heartedly, he had the phone tucked against his cheek and shoulder, his hands were preoccupied in giving a twirling Ozymandias a bath in the sink. “Darling, shoosh, stop, you’re making Daddy dizzy.”

“Yes Ozymandias please don’t extinguish the few brain cells your father has left after this week.”

“Tell me about it, this week just flew by.”

“Not today Eridan, after hearing you harp and harp AND HARP about this, this is something _happy_ , why are you sounding so reproachful and, dare I say, _gloomy?”_

Eridan lowered his voice under the chatter Kanaya and Feferi were having, “I’m not gloomy, and I’m not reproachful, I’m flippin’ ecstatic about all a this and the kids are all wound up too, they been seein’ me and Kan workin’ about the stuff we need, but we’re not letting them see any a it, not till the big day, which is today, that’s how we wanna do it like a real surprise party and it’s gonna be amazin’ watching their little eyes light up once they step out into the backyard and see it all ‘cause first we’re going to keep them in” –

“Yes I have heard this plan one too many fucking times Ampora, they will come out all a flutter with their little beaky beaks dropped open upon the glory that their parents have pillaged from every commercial outlet from Bed Bath and Beyond to Zales.”

Eridan began to rinse off Ozymandias who did more peeping than quacking in delight, shaking his little tail feathers all about and ruffling up the rest, “…It’s not like we get to do this every year Kar.”

“I know Eridan. But that doesn’t mean you’re supposed to dread it happening when the opportunity finally comes. Have you talked about this to Kanaya?”

“Yeah, um, a little, I mean I don’t want to spoil her mood or anythin’ because the only other time I’ve seen her this energetic and detailed sherlocked was when we were plannin’ our weddin’.”

“I’m hearing an echo in the distance Ampora, listen well, it’s declaring that whatever blame you are shoving up your ass is nigh unfounded as it is just plain stupid.”

“This is the only time we’ll probably ever be able to do this and it’s going by so fast and it needs to just take a fucking step back and let us enjoy bein’ together more” –

“Eridan, Eridan, STOP, SHUSH, stop, stop, shoosh. Remember happiness first, cry later. STOP looking at the ending and FOCUS on the time you have NOW. This is elementary anthropomorphic fairytale enlightenment that I am throwing into your face now absorb it like how you do all those other unnecessary byproducts.”

“Kar don’t even hate you know you enjoy having your brows as perfectly crafted as mine are.”

“Damn you.”

“Is Nep coming then? We’d like to talk to her about a few things.”

“She’ll be there with bells on.”

“No she can’t Napoleon will dive bomb her.”

“It was an expression, _Daddy…_.Alright I’m going back in time and punching past me in the throat for that one.”

“You do that and I’ll see you guys in about an hour or so alright?”

“Later.”

After the bathing was complete, it was time for dress up! Patricia was adorned once again like the princess she was, pink from head to beak, and this time her head was big enough to sport a lace tiara. Dominick was adorned with a male version of the black outfit Kanaya wore to her shows, tightly wrapped, and elegantly creased with a little black overcoat and topped with a black beret.

“He is workin’ it!” chirped Feferi watching Dominick walk with all the grace and authority of his mother.

Ozymandias was dressed very casually but still very nicely with an orange bow in case he got a fit of the cuddles, and dammit he STILL had his little duckling pillow, but Kanaya fixed it up a bit since it was starting to fall apart.

Houdini was dressed like the magician he was with Kanaya’s own style of fashion laced in itself and with several muted colors of violet and jade dim jewels (lest Napoleon be tempted).

Madelyn was dressed up like a female Indiana Jones complete even with a tiny rope whip gathered at her hip.

“Not Laura Croft?” Feferi asked.

“Was that an idea from Sol?”

“Yup!”

“Ara’s was better.”

“Uuuuuuugth.”

Napoleon was dressed just like…Napoleon. Hat and all. And she LOVED IT, Feferi had to gather her sides from laughing so hard, even Eridan spilled a few chuckles in seeing her raise her head all the way back (the hat had a strap that wrapped around) and walking with such great big stern steps that she couldn’t see where she was going and she bumped right into the counter. Of course she waggled her tail off immediately as if she meant to do that.

Alexander was dressed very simply as well, but his outfit took much after his father’s and, of course, complete with their matching scarves.

“Lookin’ good, I must say,” said Eridan tapping the side of his cheek.

“On the next episode of ‘Who wore it Better’,” said Feferi drumming on her thigh, “The winner is, Alexander!”

Alexander waggled his tail and peeped.

Then came more knocking at the door.

“They’re here,” said Kanaya looking over at Eridan who gave a small smile.

“Fef, direct them to the back, and remember they all have to say it the moment we swing the back door open, got it?”

“You got it!”

The parents guided their little ones over to the back door, each and every one of them peeping in excitement, then came the tap from Feferi, “Let’s do this!”

Eridan got a grip on the door, “On the count of three” –

Madelyn was bouncing up and down so much Kanaya had to hold her –

“One, two, _three” –_ Eridan swung the door ope –it jammed halfway through –

“SUPRI” –

“NOT YET!!” he put more force into it and kicked it open.

“…Now?”

“NOW.”

_“SUPRIIIIIIIISE!!!”_

“HAPPY, wait _, shit”_ – Karkat finally managed to pull the streamer to pop out, but it went unnoticed by the young ducks because as predicted their little beaks fell open at the garden of wonder their parents prepared for them. Flowers, everywhere.

They all waddled out, slowly, taking it all in, the banner overhead, the decorated tables, one especially low enough for the ducks, all barely hearing the adorning voices of friends and family, “Oh my GOD, I can’t it’s too much” – Feferi scrambled to reload the camera after wasting an entire roll on the entrance alone –

“Look at them,” whispered Rose to John –

“Is that one a magician?”

“Ooooh my god Kanaya they’re PRECOUS!” shouted Nepeta.

“Thould have been Larua Croft –ow” –

Gamzee got on his knees and bent down to get eye level with the young ducks, he tried to pull Karkat down along with him, “Look, look man, look, ain’t no kind that can be put into words, it’s the only kind that can be seen.”

_“Get up” –_

And then there were the presents on the table aside from the ones their parents already got them, along with Feferi’s, it was difficult to say the least for everyone else to try and find something for the little ones, but most just brought food anyway, something that can be used to the young ducks’ benefit.

“Introduce us, oh please introduce us,” squealed Jade about to break off Dave’s arm in the process.

Kanaya took Patricia, Dominick, and Madelyn whilst Eridan took Alexander, Napoleon, Ozymandias and Houdini and made their rounds as everyone got settled with a plate and drinks.

“Who’s that little shy one behind you Eridan?” asked Nepeta.

“Oh that’s,” Eridan carefully moved his feet about to try and get Alexander into view. Even under his clothes he still had some baby down and was in full phoof mode from shyness and trying to ghost under Daddy’s raised foot, “No no, Alexander don’t, Daddy doesn’t want to step on you” – he almost lost his balance until Equius held him steady.

“He’s a little bit smaller than the rest of them.”

“Yeah, yeah he is, listen Nep, we’ve been meaning to talk to you about, something.”

But then Tavros scooped up Alexander gently.

“Tav, please, be, be gentle, he’s just a tiny thin’.”

“He is,” Tavros looked about him, “Um, he really is, but,” Tavros gently bounced his hands up and down and watched Alexander brace himself, “His legs are, good and strong, that’s really good to see, he should be a great swimmer.”

“He is, he damn sure is, but, we’re…” Eridan crossed his arms, “More concerned about flying right now.”

“Mh,” commented Nepeta crossing her own arms, “Yup that should be coming up soon, so what are your plans?”

“That’s what we want to talk to you about, and, something, else…”

Meanwhile Tavros and Alexander just studied one another, Alexander having his necked sucked in to make himself look even phoofier, “Eridan, I think you have, very little to worry about with Alexander here.”

Eridan whipped around, “Hm? What do you mean?”

“He was raised by you wasn’t he? I think, that, even though he’s small, and has got a few things going against him that, you know like me, and, well you, we adapted. Don’t you think he can do that too?”

Eridan’s words were caught in his throat, but before anything came out, Kanaya was calling everyone over ‘cause it was time for party games.

“Are we seriously going to play Duck Duck Goose?”

“Shut up and sit in a circle.”

“Motherfuck, me first” – said Gamzee getting up, although no one was really keen on having their heads touched by Gamzee’s haaaaaaaaaaaand.

“HONK!”

“You’re supposed to say GOOSE you ASS” – Eridan scrambled up and chased him –

“Run Gamzee run!” Everyone watching a suddenly exceedingly fast Gamzee practically shadow step and dance all about Eridan’s poorly timed grasps – until that is Gamzee LEAPED their fence with Eridan barely stopping in time, *BOMPH* Feferi fell on her back laughing,

_“That’s cheatin’!”_

“Na ah,” smiled Gamzee from the hole on the other side.

“Did you both forget how this game is plaaaaaaaayed?” said Vriska getting up, “Gamzee you’re supposed to run around and try to sit where Eridan was sitting!”

“…..Motherfuck.”

“Yeah got you now BIATCH” –

But Gamzee had once again leaped over him and was in his seat cross legged style before Eridan even knew what was what.

“UGTH.”

“Hey, hey, look!”

Everyone looked and saw the young ducks were imitating the grown-ups and everyone stopped to watch Dominick waddle around his brothers and sisters who all sat poofed out with their necks recoiled in, waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting, until Napoleon shot up, _GET ON WITH IT!_

Dominick was about to pap Patricia when Napoleon’s QUACK sent him pulling out a few of her feathers – this made Patricia jump and then chase Dominick with about as dainty and princessly a pout as she could do around the circle of young ducks, and chase, and chase, and CHASE.

“Does no one remember how this game is played?”

It didn’t matter though, everyone’s side were hurting from laughing so much they didn’t have that much strength to play much longer, especially when all they really did was chase one another about, adult after adult, duck after duck, then it became meshed together with both adults and young ducks sitting next to one another, some adults trying to imitate being poofed up like the kids until they were tapped by either hand or beak.

Feferi went through so many film rolls, as did Kanaya (and camcorder tapes), and not to mention everyone else had their phones out and either snapped a few of their own or recorded themselves.

Finally it was time for the grand reveal of the cake. Kanaya gathered all the young ducks around their little table while Eridan went inside to go get the one for the ducks and Karkat and Sollux brought out the one for the adults.

Hardly anyone paid any attention to the cake they would be eating, all eyes were on Eridan as he knelt down in front of his little ones, Kanaya behind them, and presented their cake before them. It was blue and white, like the sky, thick with two layers, the frosting craft looked like woven water with sugar beads and water lily designs and flowers on the edges. In the center was a large elegant seven pointed star whose rays radiated out to the side of the cake, and all the young ducks’s names were interwoven into the weaving design of the star.

“It’s never too late, to celebrate somethin’ so precious as the seven of you, so here, from all of us, to all of you, happy birthday Patricia, Dominick, Madelyn, Houdini, Ozymandias, Napoleon, and, Alexander. You’ve made our lives so happy, it’s the least we could do.”

“AWWWWW!”

“I think he’s going to cryyyyyyyy!”

“Oh shut up.”

“Emotional” words aside, as soon as he set the cake down, the young ducks tore into the cake with cheeks full and poofy looking up repeatedly to their parents with great big THANK-YOU’s!!! all abound, tails waggling, tails waggling everywhere.

Nepeta was intently studying what was left of the cake, “You guys made _this?”_

“Yeah, it was mostly Kan though gotta say.”

“How?”

“Blood, sweat and tears, then more tears, then a couple more, in fact,” Eridan scratched the back of his head, “Yeah mostly tears,” he ended with an exasperated breathless laugh that enticed a tight hug from Feferi.

The opening of presents flew by since most of it was food anyway, and in no surprise the young ducks were showered with toys, but off to the side as everyone else played with the kids, one gift in particular from, Sollux, caught Eridan’s attention as he looked it over, “Sol, what is this?”

“It’th, a, you know one of those tracking devices people have when they want to, keep an eye on thingth, when, they’re away. There thhould be theven of them.”

Eridan’s voice was down to a whisper, “…Thank-you, but….wow I should have said something sooner, these are, expensive” –

“I have the receipt, igit.”

“Well that’s good because, we’re not, not going to, track them, they, they deserve to go off on their own without some, nervous nancy parent looking over their shoulder every two seconds.”

“Alright then.” 

“And oh god if one of them suddenly stopped, it,” –

“Have you talked to Nepeta yet?”

“Yeah, yes, not completely, but she’s here, an’ isn’t leaving until we do, fully talk.”

“I will thay thith though. No matter what, they’re going to be jutht fine. They picked up way too much thubborneth and from you, there’th no way nature will conquer them. Like you, they were raithed to conquer it.”

“Who are you and what have you done with Sol?”

“He grew up, which is more than what I can thay about you.”

“Fuck off.”

A single “rough” pap later and Sollux was placing the devices in his car, and Eridan was walking over to his family. He could wish tonight would last forever, he could wish for a lot of things, but wishing didn’t get him where he was now. It didn’t get Kanaya where she was now, and it certainly didn’t get their young ducks where they were now. All together it was, and that’s just how they would face the future.

Even if they were miles apart, he and Feferi were still siblings.

Even if they didn’t get to see one another for months on end, Kanaya and Feferi picked up their lady squabble right where they left off.

Even if there was absolutely no word of the other, there was always still the hope they would meet again.

And in looking at the group photo from the party, it was reminded that no matter what happened between anyone, here everyone was, and already looking forward to when they would meet again.


	8. _> Alexander: Break Your Parents' Hearts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And remind them again nature can be cruel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two more chappies after this.

6 and a half weeks have gone by since Kanaya came home with seven wet and scared little ducklings. A month and a half ago it was only Eridan and Kanaya living within their household and a bit of stubborn dust. Now the dust resides upstairs on their bed while downstairs a home with the warmth of nine happy and (mostly) healthy members watching a movie on their television, six of which were fully feathered, and one was nearly so.

The movie ended and it was time for bed, and like always, the young ducks gathered in the center around the clasp of their parents’ hands, however it was more or less a quick group hug now. There were only two ducklings left on the cuddle pile, which really was a cuddle partnership now, and that was Alexander and Ozymandias. Houdini, Dominick, Patricia, Madelyn, and Napoleon had all strewn themselves about their duck quarters, it felt a little weird calling it a nest now, especially since they were all in a hurry to grow up. They replaced the Barbie Dream House bits with more reserved walling, though Patricia was sad to see it go.

Kanaya hummed their little princess to sleep, letting her cuddle close to her face and letting the vibrations from her mouth soothe the change that bothered her, Patricia falling asleep with her head on her momma’s cheek.

“You want me to move her Kan?”

“No she’s fine for tonight, goodnight Love.”

“’Night Dearest.”

The next day felt about as normal as the rest to the young ducks, but they could sense small changes here and there about themselves and about the outside garden, but especially in the strength of their wings that hungered to be tested. As for today, the parents were going to receive their answer about their inquiry from Nepeta. The young ducks were lounging about with dad reading a book while tapping his foot rather fast, Alexander was forever stationed on his chest, wearing his little scarf as usual, his little body bouncing up and down slightly from the tremors caused by his dad’s foot.

The duck door had been installed for several days now but it was only accessible in the afternoon. On the first day the parents found themselves counting their young ducks frequently, and as time passed, casually, as they never did travel TOO far, well most didn’t.

“One, two, three, four-five, six, six, six….SIX”– until Papa Worry heard a loud *HISSSSSSSSS* and furious quacking – a belligerent meow and the tipping over of garden tools – he looked over at the side glass door to see an ears-pinned-back Big Marley running for his little tubby life with Napoleon hot on his trail, flapping her wings heatedly after him and snapping her beak.

_“Napoleon!”_

And Napoleon, likewise before whenever she was scolded, sucked in her neck, poofed out, and waddled her way to sit somewhere where she can pout adorably, which typically was a corner. Neither parent could hold any of their kids in time-out for very long though.

“You can come out of the corner now sweetie,” called Kanaya, but Napoleon didn’t move. Mother went over to investigate and discovered she had fallen asleep. She picked up her daughter with a slanted smile and carried her over to their enclosure for a nap.

Outside had other plans however, a loud THUD of something metal from across the street shut off Napoleon’s dream land back into consciousness – Kanaya’s grasp was one millisecond too slow – Napoleon leaped out of her arms whilst flapping her wings and made it all the way to the TOP of the refrigerator. Napoleon quickly turned around to her mother as if she had just discovered the greatest duck secret on planet earth – and Kanaya felt something light in her burst that filled her full of elated pride – “Eridan did you witness that?! She flew!”

Eridan sure did witness that, as did all her other siblings, and then they were all flapping their wings, Madelyn bouncing about quacking as if to say, _I told you so! I told you all so! Napoleon did it, we can do it, yes we CAN DO IT, WE CAN FLY! 8D_

“Settle down, settle down shhhhh, shhhhh, shhhhh,” said Eridan trying to gather up the young ducks after getting Napoleon off the top of the fridge, but they were much bigger now and he couldn’t possibly hold them all, not without Kanaya’s help. She began papping the ducks and easing them all one by one with hands that never forgot when they held each of them as ducklings.

“Lunch, how about lunch now,” said Eridan quickly pulling out plates and pulling out their food.

After that Kanaya was still beaming about Napoleon’s progress, but then Eridan had to go and make a small offhand remark while washing dishes, “Hands were a little cold this mornin’.”

“I didn’t notice,” said Kanaya, “It still felt awfully warm with Ozymandias and Alexander. Perhaps they’ve taken to their father in being able to radiate a stark warmth with their adorable stubbornness alone.”

Eridan turned to her with a small smile, the corners of which fighting not to turn into a frown. He ushered in Kanaya for a desperate hug and a trembling kiss… “What would I do without you,” he whispered into her hair.

“Probably either Karkat or Vriska, though you made the correct choice by choosing to spend the rest of your natural born life with me.”

She heard a loud snickerish snort that devolved into a laugh. Eridan let go of her waist to reach for her hands, “These hands have crafted many a wondrous and beautiful thin’,” he said pressing a kiss to the back of both of them. Kanaya moved her hands to the side of his face and he nuzzled into them. “You’ll never top your best work, you know that right?”

“So should I set up a respectable office in house and home and retire to a little cottage off in the woods by the sea with the most admirable present company?”

“Yes.”

Kanaya laughed gently and leaned his forehead into her own. “Eridan, I know.”

His gaze dropped.

“But they,” she nodded over the young ducks, “Do not. To them, we are as real as the ground they walk upon. No one would say differently because we understand that not all family is by blood.”

“Or even the same species,” Eridan’s voice chuckled, he leaned in and enclosed his lips around Kanaya’s, both sharing a slow and deep and intimate kiss that wandered Kanaya’s hands to Eridan’s shoulder and back, and Eridan’s hands to the back of her waist, pulling her in flush. They broke apart breathlessly, “I love you so much,” he whispered.

“I love you too.”

“Quack.”

They looked and once again all ducklings were staring intently at their parents, Napoleon trying to cover the eyes of her siblings with her wing but to no avail.

Eridan’s phone rang and he scrambled to answer it, “H-Hello?”

“Eridan! It’s Nepeta, hey it’s a yes okay?”

~*3*~

“It’s huge,” said Eridan looking over the expanse of the state park map.

“Yup, they’ll love it there for sure. The migration flock of this park was raised to fly to another state park down south, they’ll be a part of the L.U.S.U.S. research team!”

“What does that stand for?”

“I have no idea.”

Eridan ran his hand slowly through his hair, “So, you’re confident, they will be safe?”

Nepeta merely shrugged, “It’s the wild you know, and it’s not like you guys have them COMPLETLEY sheltered, but I can tell you that there aren’t many of their natural predators IN these parks in the first place.”

“Are you a 100% sure that, they’ll stay with the flock? Madelyn is quite the adventurer, she might take off on her own – in fact how was that accomplished? These people training this flock to go from one place to another, don’t they have like instincts or something?”

“They sure do! But we both know how influential parents are.”

“That we do.”

“And instincts are instincts, just trust the little buggers to get their lives where they’re going to be, and besides, they’ll be looked over as well by the rangers. I mean we gotta have our data and all!”

“I can’t thank you enough Nep, we, can’t thank you enough.”

“Pffft, it’s the least I can do. So! I heard your little ones are really winging it so to speak.”

Eridan couldn’t help but let a little smile slip out, “Well yeah, although…”

“Alexander?”

Eridan merely nodded his head quickly, “He can jump, and he jumps off Napoleon’s back, it’s so cute, she gives him a little boost, but, he, can’t do it on his own.”

“Hm.”

“It would be wrong of us to keep any of them here if they want to leave – which they all do, even Alexander. But we see him looking up at those clouds like some forlorn dream – if he wants to fly he damn well should have the opportunity to.”

“But, Eridan,” Nepeta started, “what if it can’t be helped –?”

“I know,” he snapped, but just as quickly retracted the fire, “Sorry, but he shouldn’t be a prisoner to something he can never have. We’re going to do everything he can to help him fly.”

“Which is more than what the wild would have ever given him,” said Nepeta, trailing cautiously around feelings, “They’ll fly on their own, really, they’ll practically teach themselves, with Alexander, it’ll just be a sink or swim kind of thing” –

“Well he certainly can swim, he’s such a good swimmer, and I’m sure he’ll get the hang of flying too.”

Nepeta sighed through her nose, really what was there to argue with? Especially with Eridan, but in all good consciousness she had to put her final two sense in, “He’ll do it when he’s ready, and not a moment sooner or later.”

~*3*~

After Napoleon’s successful flying attempt, she of course had to do it more and more and more and more and, “GET DOWN FROM THERE!”

“THAT IS NOT A TAKE-OFF POINT!”

But Napoleon glided over the reach of her parent’s grasps and landed half way on the stairs, she turning around with utmost pride, but ultimately shrinking under the glare, crossed arms, and tapping foots of both parents. Kanaya deflated just a bit quicker than Eridan did, and both parents shared a glance.

“We’ll show you a much better take-off point, okay? But not in here, and that goes for the rest of you, _no flyin’ in the house_ , you’ll knock into something and probably break your spine in seven different places!”

“Understand Napoleon, we’re not mad at you for flying, we just do not want you to spoil your space in here.”

Besides, the young ducks were wanting to stay outside more and more anyway. The duck door was opened to 24 hours a day and opening many a sleepless night for Eridan because Madelyn, Houdini, and Napoleon all insisted on sleeping under the stars and inviting their other siblings to do the same under the new outside shelter.

One day Kanaya saw Napoleon trying to push Alexander out the door but Alexander wasn’t as excited for outside as he was before.

“Alexander? What’s wrong? You don’t want to go outside?”

Napoleon tilted her head as well, _What’s the matter?_

Alexander was looking around, and then he pecked at his scarf and looked at mom.

“Eridan? He’s out getting some groceries, but he’ll be back soon Love. In the meantime we’re here, come on now, show momma what’s scaring you so.”

Alexander was walking so close to Kanaya he was nearly on her feet as he followed her and Napoleon out onto the patio. Ozymandias was sleeping near some flowers and Houdini was playing with some toys with Madelyn. Dominick was putting some of the clothes he horded on Patricia. Nothing outside seemed threatening at all, in fact the day was quite beautiful, a little windy, but it was fine.

Kanaya looked to Alexander and saw he was shaking. “Darling what ever is the matter?” she scooped him up and held him close, Alexander was peeping and squeaking. Napoleon fluttered up on the outside table, then she started to flutter furiously and quacking maniacally – all other ducks ran past the outside shelter and straight into the house – Kanaya didn’t bother with asking, she grabbed Napoleon as well and bolted to the house shutting the door quickly behind her.

They waited. Five minuets, ten, and then Kanaya stepped back outside with Alexander and Dominick trying to stop her. She looked about cautiously, carefully….Then she spotted it, the other cat their neighbor had, _Lucretius_ , a slender black cat with large green eyes on the top of their fence near an overgrown bush. Was he always _right there?_ Instead of coming to over to demand copious amounts of petting, Lucretius stayed where he was on the back fence. Staring.  “Tutututututu, come here Lucretius!” Instead the black cat stayed where he was and continued to stare which began to unnerve Kanaya. “What is the matter silly cat?” she looked behind her and saw nothing out of the ordinary and when she looked back, Lucretius was gone. *Shudder,* “Indeed you are a chilling cat sometimes,” and Kanaya returned inside the house.

After Kanaya told Eridan what happened today he went right over next door, Kanaya hurrying outside with him, calmed him down, and telling him to let her speak. Yet for as elaborate as Kanaya could hold a speech pattern and calming Mr. I’LLKILLTHATCATBEFOREITEVERLAYSAPAYON – it was nearly lost on someone who was nearly consistently drunk, but like the designer she was, she made it work.

“Oc, sure,” the young woman stepped in place, flinging her own pink scarf back, “I can kep my cats indours while you, guyz, do youer flying traingin. No problemo~”

“Excellent,” Kanaya replied backing up, her back steps retreating Eridan as well since he was _right_ behind her (he could just see above the top of her head, more or less he was just a glare to the drunk lady), “We bid you a good night.”

“Aweshum, hey, Kanaya, love your hat, I meanit, looks like EYES or somethin’!”

(*HIIIIIIIISSSSSSSS*).

Kanaya rolled her eyes as the lady closed her door and she grabbed Eridan by the hand and led her still fuming husband home.

“Absolutely NOTHIN’ can get in their way Kanaya, nothin’. They all deserve this chance.”

“And they’ll grab it by the horns. Worry not Love.”

“Do you really think she’ll keep them indoors? She probably won’t even remember this in the mornin’!”

“She will Love,” said Kanaya, “I doubt the cats can leave their home once they have a fresh batch of catnap by their kitty door.”

~*3*~

Morning.

Eridan awoke softly to feeling his hand being rubbed gently by Kanaya. Both Ozymandias and Alexander had slipped off during the night but were still sound asleep touching either parent’s hand. The silence was easy between them, each could feel the soft fear in the other. Eridan returned the caresses of his wife, the comfort warming up their hands greatly.

“Ready to get up?”

“As I’ll ever be.”

For the flying lessons, or rather tryouts, they enlisted Karkat, Sollux and Nepeta. All the young ducks were stripped of their typical wear except for Alexander who had his little scarf still around his neck.

“Really, thith ith all there is to it?”

“When you fly, you either do it or you fall,” replied Nepeta, “But these babbies will fall into padding at least.”

The parents’ backyard was turned into padding paradise, minus the pool of course along with a single ladder.

“Besides, they’re just starting off, they’re not going to go very far. For the long distance ones we’ll be going to the state park.”

“Yup,” said Eridan distantly, Kanaya gave his hand a squeeze.

“Alight! Who’s first?” said Nepeta turning towards the young ducks and everyone was jumping and quacking at her feet, “Woah! Okay, how about you Dominick? Let’s go buddy let’s go!”

“Got enough camerath there KN?”

“Oh yes I’m taking pictures for two especially since Feferi was adamant on seeing their first flying lesson, shoot I’ll have to text her for her email later.”

“She’s in the country this time?”

“Yes, thank-goodness.”

There was to be no idle chatter with Papa however, he was bracing the ladder with Nepeta who was standing on the second to top step with Dominick in tow. She let Dominick use her arms and hands as a take-off spot, Kanaya at the ready with her camera and Karkat and Sollux as added pillows, “Alright Dominick, take your time, we’re in no” – Dominick jumped and fluttered down flapping his wings furiously right into Karkat’s arms. He huffed.

“W-well, that was” –

“Wonderful!” Kanaya chimed, “Well done!”

“Good job Dominick!” added Nepeta.

“Falling with thtyle,” added Sollux –“Ow” –

“Next!”

Patricia fluttered down as well, Houdini got some distance and landed in a poof of padding falling all over himself trying to get on stable ground. Ozymandias actually glided a bit, but Madelyn actually FLEW a bit, then glided down into the pool.

“Show off.”

“That’s my girl.”

And then Napoleon walked to the edge of Nepeta’s hands, looked down at her father once, waggled her tail feathers then took off upon the grace of a gust. Her flaps were strong, smooth, and when it looked like she was gliding into the pool like how Madelyn did, she suddenly soared up into the sky!

“Oh!”

Napoleon quacked in triumph circling the yard once, and settling in for a landing on top of the roof poofing out all her feathers.

 _“You can come down now missy,”_ said Eridan.

Napoleon decided to stay on her perch, as the strongest, she decided, she must keep watch.

Eridan huffed with some added papping from Kanaya.

“She sure does take after her father now doesn’t she?”

“HUMPH.”

Napoleon then looked down at Alexander and quacked, _Get up here silly! Come on!_

“Time out.”

Eridan got down on his knees and held out his hand, “….Come on Alexander,” he said gently, “Daddy’s right here.” Nepeta switched places with Eridan, she bracing the ladder as Eridan climbed up with Alexander.

“You can do it sweetie, we’re just practicing for today,” said Kanaya reaching up and petting him on his head.

Alexander looked at his mom, sister, siblings, then at his dad, and jumped.

He fluttered straight down – Karkat, Sollux, and Kanaya all taking a step forward that wasn’t needed.

Alexander stood back up, straitened up his posture, walking with waddling sure steps, still looking at his dad, and he waddled over to the edge of the ladder, and held his wings up.

Eridan swallowed repeatedly to try and stop the lump in his throat as he gathered up Alexander again and brought him up back to the second step. Napoelon was quacking adamantly at him, _Come on! You can do it! Try! Really REALLY try this time! Don’t be scared! I’m right here! We’re all right here!_

“Are you ready for a second try?” Eridan asked.

Alexander looked at him and quacked. Napoleon suddenly flew onto her father’s shoulders, startling him a little “Woah Napoleon easy girl,” she stepping all over her father’s head to nudge her brother, _“Napoleon!”_

_Come on, I’ll do it with you!_

_O-Okay._

More encouragement came from friends and family as Alexander carefully spread his wings out, the wind gently caressing his scarf, every feather, and the last bit of fluff on his body.

From afar, a gust of wind traveled over the tops of the trees like a wave, swooshing down through the branches, rustling up leaves, throwing bits of loose bark, and this time when Alexander jumped with the power and push of his wings, Napoleon leapt with him, both catching onto the breeze and up they went and back Eridan stumbled in a floof of feathers and wind.

Even with Nepeta’s bracing, the gust of wind knocked Eridan backwards on top of her, Kanaya and Karkat rushing over, both barely being able to see with the wind rustling stinging their eyes and rustling hair into a half blindfold.

“I’m fine I’m fine!” Eridan said shoving himself up before Kanaya could help him–

“Uuuuugth,” Nepeta moaned –

“Where did they go?!”

“Relax, they just got blown onto the roof of the garage,” said Sollux looking up, arm over his eyes to shade from the wind and sun.

Everyone looked up and saw Napoleon waddle over to the edge with a quack quack, and then a very ruffled looking Alexander beside her.

Eridan let loose a sigh of relief.

“Oh yes, I’m fine as well,” said Nepeta.

“That’s enough adventure for one day don’t you think?” said Kanaya, “Come on down now and we’ll get some lunch.”

“Come on Alexander,” said Eridan raising his arms up, “Come on, I’m right here, just flutter down like you did before, I know it’s high, but it’s easy.”

“It’s not that high.”

Napoleon eased her brother enough to the edge where his little duck toes curled around the edge of the roof.

“That’s it, jump with Napoleon again if you want, right here.”

“Dude she’s probably going to land on your face.”

“So be it, come on now, just jump, Daddy’s right here an’ he’ll catch you, promise.”

Alexander spread his wings with Napoleon, and leapt.

 _“Oh” –_ he heard Kanaya gasp a millisecond before the second strong gust of wind hit him, blowing up the side of the house towards Alexander and Napoleon, blowing them away from the tips of his fingers and into the sky.

The rest all happened so quickly, Napoleon and Alexander looked like they had been yanked by an invisible rope to their right, both heading straight for the side of their neighbor’s two-story house–

“NAPOLEON – ALEX” –

Napoleon pushed her brother up and was slammed into the side of the house, she dropped straight down, while Alexander was blown to the roof of the neighbors house, he completely out of sight from his parents, Alexander was at the wind’s complete mercy–

 “ALEXANDER DON’T OPEN YOUR WINGS!!!”

Kanaya jumped the side fence along with Sollux and Eridan into the neighbor’s back yard, and Karkat had already bolted to the front door of the neighbor’s house, but the wind would not use either destination. Alexander huddled down as best he could, his little legs trembling! The wind baited him as it died down in jest, allowing him to come to the edge of the roof again to look for Daddy.

“PASS THE LADDER OVER HERE!”

He saw his brothers and sisters looking scared out of their minds with Nepeta, who was hauling the ladder over the fence, and there was Momma who was now holding Napoleon (cursing wildly in duck) and Poppa, who was receiving the ladder, and Uncle Sollux.

Napoleon was flapping her wings furiously trying to get back up to Alexander, but Momma wasn’t letting go.

Alexander wanted nothing more to be in the arms of Daddy again, but with the wind threatening…

“Alexander look, sweetheart, _look,”_ Eridan begged, “I know it’s scary, but you _have_ to back away from the edge, don’t jump, don’t jump, I’m coming right up” –

“Idiot you can’t go up!” said Sollux, “If you’re knocked down from that height” –

“Then you brace the ladder!”

“It won’t matter from that height! Not even all of us could hold it with you falling at that angle!”

By then Karkat had joined them in the back along with their drunk neighbor who commented, _“HOY SHIT” –_

Kanaya rushed up to her, “Roxy, do you have an access point to your rooftop through your attic?”

“I sure do! Follup me!”

Eridan rushed after Roxy and Karkat, then stopped short when Kanaya began screaming at Alexander to “STOP STOP, BABY DON’T JUMP!”

Eridan looked up and saw Alexander flapping his wings and getting ready to jump down –

“NO NO! I’m not going anywhere! Alexander DON’T” –

Another gust of wind came and blew Alexander back, rolling him along the rooftop and over to the edge where Momma was –

“ERIDAN! “

He ran back over in time to see Alexander scoot himself back up, the young duck was breathing so fast his little beak was open and panting, his little scarf was almost unwrapped from around his neck – he wobbled back over to the edge, half his body already falling off with wings barely sprawled open –

There wasn’t any arguing to be done, so Eridan threw his arms wide open, “ _I swwear I wwill catch you!”_

The final gust came from the side and threw leaves and dust and speckles of unwanted nature that forced Eridan to shut his eyes reflexively, knocking him with a stumble to the side, there were screams, running, and by the time Eridan had stumbled back up he heard, _“He’s gone into the woods!”_

Eridan looked up and saw Alexander’s scarf falling innocently down from the powerful wind, another gust sending it to catch on the top of their fence –

_“ALEXANDER!!!”_

_“Eridan you and Nepeta stay with the kids,”_ commanded Kanaya, handing a very distressed Napleon into her father’s arms from over the fence, “ _You have your phone”_ –

“Yes, _go go go GO!”_

He heard a squeal but that was their neighbor who had finally made it to the rooftop with a very exasperated Karkat – “WHERE’S ALEX?!”

The siblings were frantic. Quacking, fluttering, walking aimlessly around, and Eridan wasn’t any where in the sense of being calm himself, “He’s alright, he’s alright, they’ll find him, he can’t have gone far, he’ll be just fine, maybe a little bruised but bruises heal” – and on and on he went.

Nepeta took over Napoleon, looking over to see if she had any injuries, and there looked to be none, thank God, however Napoleon had had enough handling and bit Nepeta’s nose, “OW” –

“Napoleon!”

Napoleon then looked up at her father, looked about, looked around, “Quack, quack, quack?!?!” and Eridan sputtered on silence for answers which he did not have. Napoleon then turned around pushing past her siblings and shoved her head into the bushes. Eridan recognized that fit immediately and walked over and scooped her up, “Look at me Napoleon,” but Napoleon kept turning her head away making small quivering peeps along with her trembling self, “It’s not your fault, _it’s not your fault.”_

Napoleon then began to breathe fast and Eridan held her close repeating over and over and over that it wasn’t her fault and the siblings crowded around their father as he sank to the ground and shivered with tears on the razor’s edge of breaking him down. He had to call Kanaya, and stayed on the line with her, her voice sparked with fear that cut him somewhere deep inside.

Thirty minuets became and hour. And hour became two. Two became three. Three became four….

It was beginning to get dark and several of the young ducks had started throwing up, Nepeta attested it to being extreme stress and begged Eridan to calm down because they were getting it from him, they felt his pain and it was literally harming them.

“Napoleon keeps looking, she keeps looking but she can’t find him, she can’t find her brother and  she doesn’t understand what’s going on and I don’t know how to tell her he’s” –

 _“Eridan please,”_ Kanaya begged over the phone, “Stay calm, stay calm for me Love, stay calm for our babies, please, _please.”_

“Switch places with me, I’ll come to you.”

It was done.

Four hours became five. Five became six. Six became seven.

The night was a bit chilly. The sky was perfectly clear however so the moonlight aided their search.

“Oh please, please _, please,”_ Eridan mumbled to himself, he could hear Kanaya addressing their kids over the phone. She was exhausted, he was exhausted, utterly exhausted, as were Karkat and Sollux but they kept pressing on, until –

“OVER HERE!” called Sollux, and Karkat and Eridan raced over, Eridan nearly tripping over every twig and downed branch.

_“Eridan? ERIDAN? Did you find him?!”_

He could barely spot from afar as he ran toward a black fluff and a fat orange fluff and in-between – Big Marley, _Lucretius_ – _“YOU FUCKING CAT”_ – but Karkat and Sollux held him back,

“STOP, LOOK” –

 _“Alexander,”_ he breathed, the young duck was laying on his side, thick with dirt, still, _“Alexander, baby…”_

_“Eridan talk to me” –_

“We found him, we, he’s” –

“Wait pick him up from thith,” Sollux had taken off his shirt, “In cathe anything is broken” –

Both cats meowed drowsily, oh, the catnip.

Kanaya hung up, standing up quickly, she opened the fence door to the back woods and spotted Eridan hurrying quickly through the brush with Karkat and a shirtless Sollux, holding what could not be anything more than a duck doll that had been abandoned in the dark. _“Oh Alexander_ ” –

Nepeta was having a hard time keeping the other young ducks back, and Napoleon kept biting her.

Eridan looked like he was holding broken pieces together that could slip on the edge of a crack and fall away forever. His scared to death expression was accented by streaming tears in the moonlight, finally Kanaya was by his side – “He’s alive, he’s alive, but Kan he’s” –

She shook her head and pulled him forward through the garden, “You three stay with the kids, we’ll” –

But the siblings screamed at the loss of both of their parents and Kanaya sucked it in and told Eridan she would stay with them while he and Karkat went to the animal hospital, and they left like the wind.

 If Kanaya got the story right from Sollux, they had found both cats huddled around the injured duck, keeping him warm.

“Meow.” Both cats were now just entering the through the open back fance, Big Marely heading on over to Kanaya while Lucretius decided to stay where he was, and just, stare. Watching.

Guarding. He turned his back to the group and faced the woods. It would be the worst night for any animal that tried to cross his path and into the sanctity of this home.

~*3*~

The clock at the animal hospital moved as unforgiving as the hammering of nails into an outcome no one was willing to admit to. Eridan begged and begged the vet to call in every hand she had to help that was experienced with avian trauma, and she told him straight up he was looking at it, her, and that she could only do so much.

As for the parents they could do nothing but wait, Eridan with Karkat at the hospital, and Kanaya at home with trying friends and anxious siblings. Eridan couldn’t even offer his own blood for a transfusion, much less any organs that might have been a match, because when it honestly, coldly, and cruelly came down to it, what lay on the operating table was a young duck, behind in development and physical strength. And the one time they let him try to be fully independent and one in his own nature of being a duck – to fly – nature tried to have him killed, because he simply wasn’t strong enough.

“People have kids, they have them for life,” Eridan’s voice trembled – Karkat looked like he was about to say something, but, “But our family doesn’t work that way. We’ll outlive them all. We’re going to bury each and every one of them, and we’re probably going to bury Alexander _tonight,”_ and Eridan completely broke down dropping his head in his hands, every sobbing inhale choking on even deeper tears; Karkat hugged what he could and cried with the rest,

“Stop, focusing on the bad stuff! Stop it, stop it already, STOP IT!”

 _“IT’S THE TRUTH!_ God I’ll probably outlive Kanaya too, _and then I’ll” –_ but Karkat wasn’t having any of it, not today, not tonight and he pulled Eridan so close and so tightly he barely had room to breathe, good, ‘cause that meant Karkat could talk without being interrupted.

“You’re name is Eridan Ampora, and you’ve made a lot of mistakes, but one mistake you didn’t make was marrying Kanaya Maryam. You’ve both wanted kids for a long time, but nature decided to shit on that aspect. You pulled through it with her. You both were living very comfortable lives, but one day Kanaya brought something home that gave you both what you two had nearly given up on. And you are not giving up now. Not now, not EVER.”

It was no where near easing Eridan’s heart but it did shut him up, and the rest of his tears were silent upon Karkat’s shoulder. He received a text from Kanaya and replied that he still had no news, and that they wouldn’t let him into the back.

The thought swirled, could he not even hold his small wing while he was back there? Nudge his little feet or even stroke his head? Nothing familiar surrounded Alexander, it was all new and terrible, lying there, in pain, confused, and dying in unknown hands guarded by plastic and being cut open and sponged and filled with various fluids to try and save what little life he was clinging to.

He’s so small, he’s always been small, how big are those knives and thick those tubes? Would there even be anything left once they were done? How would he ever get to live in the wild now, the dream they all worked so hard to obtain, was it really so feeble to have been blown away by the wind?

No. They had every warning in the world, but they ignored it because the dream of their child meant that much more. And no matter what cold reality tried to convince either parent, that was THIER child lying there, and Alexander was strong, he showed time and time again how strong he was, with what his dad let him try, how capable he was, with what was thought he could handle, and never refusing to give up, although he was cautioned to not overexert himself…And then it hit Eridan, a reason, a fault, why he thought the stars aligned so he couldn’t have kids, and the closed door of the operating room opened, and the vet walked out with clasped hands and gave a look Eridan had never ever wanted to see again.

“Please,” was all he managed to get out of his waterlogged throat. _Please, he’s our son, he’s our baby, please, please, please, please don’t say it, don’t say it._

Kanaya had just cleaned up some vomit from Napoleon when her phone rang – Sollux was closer to it and threw it perfectly to Kanaya who fumbled to open it, _“Hello? Eridan, Love” –_

She stopped talking.  

“Kanaya?”

_Mom?_

_Mommy?_

Kanaya replied to Eridan in only one sentence, “Bring our baby home,” closed the phone, and counted the ducklings, one, two, three, four, five, six.

Six.

She put her hand over her mouth, the tears were already cascading down, and by the time Nepepta wrapped her in a hug she shook from every sob.

~*3*~

“They said they did everything they could, fixed everything up, but, the shock of it, he’s really weak, and, small, and they” –

“Bathically just told you to bring him home to die was that it? Your own parenths brought you home and here you are twenty-eight yearth later!”

Eridan gave an off smile, still looking at his son in his grasp, his little breathing so shallow, “I know, so he’s home now, and (*sniff*) he’s going to wake up in the mornin’ and prove them all wrong.”

Eridan was sitting on the floor and leaning back against the couch with Kanaya leaning on him. Nepeta, Sollux and Karkat were on the ground too with the siblings all around. Napoleon nipped lightly at her brother’s foot that dangled off from his position, but he still didn’t move.

Ozymandias took off his cuddle pillow, placed it near Alexander and pushed it towards him, but Alexander still didn’t move too much. “He’s very tired Ozzy,” said Eridan, “He’s very tired, but thank-you.” Kanaya took the pillow and placed it near Alexander in Eridan’s grasp.

“My sweet baby boy…,” she petted him all down along his head, neck, and back.

Eridan gave a sharp inhale and slightly moved down, gently placing Alexander up on his chest, specifically over his heart, “There, Alexander, feel Daddy’s heartbeat…that’s what your own needs to do…It has to be strong now…I’ve never asked for very much of you, perhaps, that’s my fault why you’re like this now,” –

_“Love it’s not your fault” –_

“So please, forgive me that I ask this of you now _, please live_ , I know its hard sweetheart but you have to. There’s so much in this world you deserve to see an’ do. Daddy used to be like you when you were young, an’ he’s still here, so he knows you, you can do it too, you can beat this, but you don’t have to do it alone, we’re right here Alexander, we’re right here…Mommy and Daddy, Napoleon, Ozymandias, Patricia, Houdini, Dominick, and Madelyn, Auntie Nepeta, Auntie Feferi, Uncle Karkat and, the stupid uncle.”

“Pfft…You can do thith Alexander, be even better.”

“We’ll never give up on you.”

“We love you so much, we love _you so much…”_

_Alexander… :(_

_Brother wake up!_

_Move, please!_

Then the morning came.

All the siblings were cuddled up together over the legs of their parents who were leaning on the couch, drowsy as hell, Karkat, Nepeta, and Sollux had dropped asleep around them.

“Kan…It’s mornin’….”

“Is it?”

Eridan looked down to Alexander, still so very still, “Alexander?” he nudged him, but he didn’t move. Eridan sat up a little more, on the verge of cradling his son for the very last time until, he froze…Alexander’s breathing, it was deeper, his tail gave a little shake, his little leg kicked out, and then his eyes slowly opened.

_“Oh” –_

“Quack.” Alexander rested his head on his daddy’s arm, _Good morning Daddy :’)_

By the time Karkat, Sollux, and Nepeta awoke to Eridan calling his name they saw him coating Alexander with kisses and thought the worst until both parents looked at them through happy streaming tears –  

_“He’s awake.”_

The siblings then all woke up and Alexander looked down at them all before they exploded into a flurry of feathery joy –

“Quack!” _:D_ He could barely move, or even lift his head, but Alexander was gripping onto his life with everything he had, and he wasn’t letting go. Not when he had so many hands there to keep him tethered, he wasn’t going anywhere yet.


	9. =====_> Everyone: Be Alright

Entering the state park was daunting for both duck, and parent. Kanaya was off taking pictures left and right of each and every new discovery their kids made about the world around them.

“Go on,” said Eridan gently with a slight recoil, and the ducks finally scattered about exploring earth and sky, but when the sky turned orange for the oncoming night, they were called out to and gathered.

They visited the state park with their brood often, giving them a taste of the true wild they all desired for. And the more they visited, the more longing they saw upon their kids’ faces.

“Weaning off the nest,” as Nepeta called it, but Eridan in a fit said it was “Weaning off of home,” then Kanaya shooshed him.

“The next step is to start leaving them overnight.”

“That can wait.”

No it couldn’t. Napoleon, Madelyn, and Houdini gave their parents the saddest eyes to let them stay overnight, so it was done.

The young ducks, or rather ducks now were more than capable of flying away, really, but, it just didn’t seem right to leave just yet, it didn’t seem right to leave without, Alexander.

Praise be he did eventually take flight with the assistance of Napoleon, but he couldn’t do it for very long, he just couldn’t.

But he did it none-the-less.

He came down huffing, landing a little roughly but mom and dad were right there the second he touched landing, scooped him up, and showered him with every praise created by twenty-six letters and he soaked it all in, quacking and peeping happily right back.

_I did it, I did it!_

 He was still a little behind and that wasn’t something that could be fixed with pure gustavo and determination and grit. There was that bite and sting of reality that he simply needed a little bit of help, help that the wild would show no mercy for.

But it wasn’t like the state park was littered with predators at every turn, it’s just you never know, and that is the deepest task a parent must ready their little ones for.

You never know.

But you can sure as hell hope.

All he had, all they had in the end was hope that one day Alexander could do it on his own. There wasn’t ANY doubt Napoleon would help him through thick and thin, but likewise as who wouldn’t want a parent being so overbearing, an overbearing sibling was just the same.

Napoleon didn’t like Alexander asking if he could do it on his own too much and she would sulk and one time she even hissed at him, but then she felt so bad she cuddled up right next to him, peeping out apologies that Alexander had to keep reassuring her he accepted them all.

 As the hour glass of their time together continued to wean, Eridan took a seat down next to Alexander, gathering all the kids around. How to start. And even harder, how to end. “If there’s one thing your father has learned to have,” he said, “Its hope, and I have so much faith in you, we believe in you sweethearts, as your parents, our faith in you will never waver. You all, are going to do so great. We, are, so so _so very proud.”_

That was enough, they didn’t need to see sadness, because they weren’t doing anything wrong.

More discussions of how Alexander could cope continued. He could live in the wild during spring, summer, and a bit of fall, but when it would come time for the migration, they knew there was no way any amount of hoping would get him there.

But since when Eridan and Kanaya were the kind of people to deny their kids anything?

“So what? Would a little road trip from state park to state park be considered cheatin’? He can hop a ride with a ranger! I mean why not?”

And Nepeta knew the perfect person for the job, someone with great finesse with animals, Tavros!

_“He’s a ranger?!”_ Eridan sputtered.

“Well yeah, he is. Mount patrol too.”

“Oh, I never knew that…Awesome.”

That certainly made them feel loads better that Alexander wouldn’t be starting off with someone completely new, and Eridan trusted it all that much more with the connection Alexander and Tavros had at the ducks’ birthday party.

“It’s a perfect match, couldn’t ask for better in heaven, it’s a absolutely perfect fuc-frikin’ match!”

And of course when asked to do it, Tavros was delighted to.

They were introduced to the rest of the rangers in due time, each of them picking out their favorites, but in the end they absolutely gushed over them all.

These people, they were the closest people now to them, well via proximity and all, not, in their hearts.

Kanaya could already see the bitterness rising up in Eridan, so she wrapped one of her arms around his own and gave him a look that said “these people are not our enemy.”

“Here, mister papa duck fellow, this is my number in case ya feel like callin’ and checkin’ up on these darlins ‘kay? I can uh, as soon as I figure out this iphone app thinga here, send ya pictures and stuff.”

Eridan practically taught her how to hack into the moon by the end of the day with that silly thing.

Other members of the “extended family” however, were greeted with much less hostility.

Big Marley and Lucretius were treated like royalty, Eridan even picking up the long slender black cat and planting a kiss right on it’s nose. Lucretius pinned his ears back and did what he did best, and that was staring. “I don’t care you creepy as fuck cat, you helped save Alexander’s life and you’re going to get so fucking fat on all the tuna we’re going to give you, you’re welcome to the backyard anytime, anytime at all.”

It was then their neighbor, Roxy as it was, told them her late parrot had practically raised them when they were kittens. “I loved that bired until the day he deid, so heartbrokan they were, and me, but, what you gonna do, they moved on! I just wish I could move on as fats as shey did!”

“Our deepest condolences,” said Kanaya, “When did she pass?”

“Oh this was YEARSHS ago! But, I got pitures, pictures of her and stuff, and I shee her in bits of stuff that Bee Marley and Lucuptius do and what not, I know shes, still here, like,” Roxy patted her heart, “Rigth here, you know?”

And before time could freeze in another snapshot, the kids were 10 weeks old.

~*3*~

Today this visit to the state park was going to be a little different.

Over the days leading up to this one, they had begun to put away bits and pieces of the ducks’ shelter. Easing them. Letting them know it was okay. They were excited, and the parents held it together because this was a good thing, it was a very good thing. The last things to go were the water fountains, of course the floor protection, and when they finished their breakfast, their plates went into a special container.

Their final night together under this roof was the same as their first, all huddled together. All their clothes were packed away save for a few special articles that would be removed, later. Just one last time. Kanaya’s hand shook so bad in setting the camera timer she had to stop and breathe and try several times. You see them all smiling in the picture as bright as rays of sun, it was worth smiling.

If they wanted to they could always fly home, you know to visit and stuff, Tavros surely wouldn’t mind driving Alexander, but, that right there sent a small quake in their hearts, because of where home really was for them. It wasn’t in a Barbie Dream house set up any longer, nor was it the enclosure, the back yard, the outside dwellings, the kitchen, the living room, or anywhere else that trailed momma and papa.

Did their own parents feel this way when they left? Do all parents feel this way? It was sort of a strange mixture of sadness and pride, pride in knowing that they will able to take care of themselves just fine, that they were raised well enough to tackle the world head on.

But, sad they wouldn’t wake up anymore to a group of fluffy little yellow ducklings, their little feeding frenzy, their peeps, their quacks, telling them to be careful, telling them it’s alright, or how much they loved them, or play with them, hold them, hug them, pet them, or kiss them goodnight.

It felt silent in the car as Eridan drove, all scenery passing by quietly, letting them have their moment. Kanaya saw the strain on her husband’s face to keep it straight, it would not be wise to show their kids any fear or sadness right now, because they weren’t doing anything wrong. She bit slightly on her lower lip to help retain her own composure.

They must know. But they are not sad, they are ready, they are elated, they all were given a second chance at life, and that is worth every day they were given and they won’t take any part of it for granted.

The car crunched on the gravel in the makeshift parking lot surrounded by woods. They would have to walk now, the last time they would ever be trailed by them, and they walked nearly just how they did when Kanaya first brought them home, in a line, Alexander trailing off to walk by his Dad.

It was truly a beautiful lake. The Ranger’s lookout was right next to it too, so, that was something.

Nepeta was suddenly there, as was Tavros. There wasn’t any need to rush, however all the ducks were eyeing that lake, that sky, the trees, the meadow, it was paradise, they were all so ready. It was best, not to dwaddle, instead just waddle waddle waddle –

Madelyn was the first to walk up with her little adventure hat on. Eridan and Kanaya kneeled down, Kanaya gave her a gentle pet, and Eridan removed the hat, “Go on,” his voice was barely a whisper. With parting kisses, eyes bright, she waggled her tail, flapped her feathers, gave her father one last hug and tore off towards the lake, running over the water before finally settling in. She quacked at her other siblings to join her.

Ozymandias came next, and removed his little cuddle pillow. He handed it over to momma who accepted it graciously and told him she would cuddle up with it every night; Eridan gave him a little scratch on the top of his head and mom did the same with send off kisses. Then he waddled around their legs, feeling Tentiden one last time, then down to the lake with a single look back, and many many kicks forward out into the crystal water.

Houdini rang his little bell one last time, making that kind of noise wouldn’t do him any good out here. Eridan removed it and gave him a little pinch on the cheek as more kisses sent him off –there was a sudden loud splash from Madelyn and when they looked back, Houdini was already halfway there in reaching her.

Kanaya took off Patricia’s little lace tiara and kissed her on the head, papa following close behind, “Now you be strong our precious princess.” Patricia looked at her parents for a long time, then nudged their knees, sat on their lap for a second, and as much as either parent wanted to catch her and hold her there forever, when she stepped off, they held back, merely letting their hands slide over her silky feathers. She waddled her tail and walked like the lady she was to the lake.

Kanaya removed Dominick’s little beret, but then he suddenly fluttered into her arms and curved his neck around her own, giving her one great big hug. Eridan placed his hand on her shoulder as Kanaya wrapped her arms around her little fashionista, he knowing that if his hand wasn’t there she’d break just as easily as he was on the verge of, because here comes Napoleon waddling up.

Napoleon stood up tall, her parents straightening their backs in response. She held her head down so dad could take off her little general hat. “You are relieved,” said Eridan. She saluted both her parents, received their kisses, then turned around and began to walk towards the lake. Then she stopped, turned around again and dive bombed her parents for one last hug. “You big baby, you’re supposed to be the strong one!” Eridan teased feeling the cracks in his heart chipping away; Kanaya gripped his shoulder so tightly it was sure to bruise. Napoleon shook her head, ruffled her feathers, and gathered herself properly. She walked sideways to the lake, and finally kicked off in the water to join her siblings.

Papa felt a tug at the side of his pants, it was Alexander. Had he been beside him all this time? Alexander waddled up to the front, and raised his wings. Papa picked him up and held him close with momma. Kisses and all and he gave a small duck kiss back.

Settling him back down, Eridan pulled off Alexander’s scarf, and placed one more kiss on the top of his head. He handed it over to Tavros and told him, “Sometimes, when he’s inside, if he asks…”

“It do not think it, will be a problem Eridan. Not a problem at all,” said Tavros.

Eridan mouthed the words thank-you because the lump that finally claimed his throat absorbed all sound.

The parents stood up, and followed Alexander to the water’s edge where their separation finally happened. Alexander quacked and peeped at them, until he had a sudden burst of energy and raced along the water tops, settling down near Houdini who helped him catch his breath.

They’ll be fine. They’ll all be fine, because in the end, they have each other. They really did.

Eridan and Kanaya watched them swim for a bit, and took a step back. Clutching the clothing garments they had collected, and another step back, they turned themselves around and started walking to the car, confident their departure would not be missed – they suddenly heard frantic quacking, turned around, and saw it was only Madelyn laughing at the diving technique Ozymandias as showing. With a wave from Tavros and Nepeta, that’s when they gathered it together and jogged towards the car, hand in hand.

This was NOT goodbye, it was a right of passage. It was not goodbye, it was not goodbye, it was not goodbye, it was not goodbye. When they reached their car, they sat down, held each other and let it all out. Hoping they couldn’t be heard from the lake.

_“It’s hard Kan, it’s hard being a parent, and” –_

_“No one understands, until you are one.”_

~*3*~

Karkat and Sollux visited that day, waking the adults from sleeping on the couch together, wrapped in a blanket and still completely waterlogged. When they arrived back their house seven kids less, everything hurt.

A scrapbook. That’s what they had planned to help them cope, and they got right to work on it.

“Why the hell did you bring all this icecream?” asked Eridan wiping his eyes for the millionth time.

“That’th, jutht what you do ithint it?”

“You’re putting a kink in our diet.”

“Oh I think this will get burned off in due time,” said Kanaya taking a spoonful and gulping it down, “No cheesecake?”

“Got you right here,” said Karkat hauling it up.

_“Really.”_

Kanaya tapped Eridan on the butt, “Consume Love, we’re going to need our energy.”

“For WHAT?”

Rearranging the house, at least the bottom floor, and by that they meant just the living room. By the time nightfall came no progress was made because they realized they simply moved everything in a clock-like fashion around the room and when time came to step back and observe their handiwork, there wasn’t a single change to be found.

“Goddammit.”

“Maybe this is a sign, there’s nothing wrong.”

They’ll take it. And soon a week had passed. They had continued to sleep downstairs, old habits die hard, and received word their babies, no, ducks, were doing just fine, thriving and showing complete promise every day. Tavros one time even sent a picture of him and Alexander, the ranger doing an unironic duck face, the kind everyone had done for one of the group birthday photos.

More progress on the scrapbook was made, Kanaya was lacing in some of the clothing worn, Eridan sitting next to her.

“I remember watching you make that,” he then picked up Dominick’s beret, “How careful your eyes traced the pattern…how precise you moved the needle and thread…You looked, so…” words failed him.

“If we weren’t married Love I’d have sufficient suspicion to think you had interest in me.”

Eridan flipped through a bit of the finished pages and a tinge of his bitterness was adamant in giving one last hurrah and it was all on Kanaya’s ears, “We certainly played enough games of chase with them, they can run, and fly, but we always caught them, we taught them to be caug” –

Kanaya took Eridan’s face in her hands and smooshed his lips together, “Hm,” then she stretched them, “Interesting,” then smooshed.

“Kan” –

She gave a quick peck on his lips, “Lovely texture.” Eridan’s grimace softened.

“Yes this is fine fabic, a bit stubborn, but it can be worked with.”

“It had a few wwrinkles in it.”

“Those aren’t wwrinkles those are twinkle spots,” added Kanaya imitating Eridan’s voice, “Twinke spots…like that one in your eye, that’s, not a wwrinkle.”

Eridan sealed his eyes shut, “Oh my god how did you end up with meeee” –

“For that reason and so much more,” said Kanaya finally releasing his mouth and wrapping him into a hug that was returned warmly back, until he blew a raspberry on her neck – “EEK” –

“What’s that you can’t blow wrinkles out –?”

“AhahahaHAHA – NO, _you cannot!”_ Kanaya laughed, then she felt his hands trail to her sides –

“What if I pull on the seams?” and he began to tickle her mercilessly, Kanaya’s knees bending from the tickling assault, her weakening legs leaving her weight to be dealt by Eridan’s arms –

“Iam, going _to repay you in damages two-fold!”_ she swayed –

“You gotta catch me first” – Eridan stole another kiss on her cheek and took off! Kanaya half raced and half slipped after him due to her socks, upstairs, downstairs, and finally outside into the backyard where he jumped into the pool, Kanaya jumping, or rather stumbling right in after him,

“ACK” – *SPLOOSH~!* She was brought up just as quickly though and twice as quickly she sputtered, “I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine Love, pfft,” she spat several rouge strands of wet hair from her mouth.

“You’re soaked!”

“So are you” –

“Now I’m going to have to take care a you like some sick cat or somethin’” –

Kanaya’s eyes widened, a twinkle, “You make it sound like that’s a bad thing,” she wrapped her soaked arms over Eridan’s shoulders.

He leaned his forehead against her, “Promise me you’ll take a shower as soon as you get inside?” he then started to chuckle a bit, “Don’t forget to,” then blush, “Strip down and wrap yourself in some saran wrap.”

“My arrival indoors should inspire some of your research on Roman bathing facilities, they were public were they not?”

“Not this one,” he placed a kiss over her eyelid, “This one is private.”

“T’would be difficult to miss that signpost Dear.”

 “Mmmm~”

“Eridan, Love...” she looked up at him with a look that almost melted him on the spot, “Bed?”

Eridan swallowed, and replied, “Shower, then bed.”

~*3*~

They entered their bedroom, a room that hasn’t been used in over two months, though other signs would argue two years. Eridan patted the bed and a wreath of dust poofed up, “Well that won’t do.”

Eridan washed the bed sheets while Kanaya gave a quick dust around and he swept in and vacuumed up all the rest.

They thought about moving some things around in their bedroom too, but, it all felt right. They both looked out the window for a long while, until Kanaya peeled herself away and sauntered to the other side of the bed…the way Kanaya walked, the way she swayed herself, the way she moved…

Eridan pulled back the sheet and lifted one of his eyes brows into the most corny seductive look he could muster.

Likewise Kanaya turned her head, covered her mouth halfway with a sheepish hand, and batted her eyelashes daintily, “Why Mr. Ampora I suspect you are trying to persuade me into beside manners.”

“PursuuACK” – Eridan _was_ moving to climb on the bed like a cat, smooth, but so was the floor, and his socks, and he slipped and banged into the drawers by their bed; he pushed himself up against Kanaya’s laughter, “Yup still got it.”

“It never left.”

“Good to hear because I’m…” Eridan rubbed his hand through his hair, blushed, and forced himself to look at Kanaya, “A little wondering.”

Kanaya crawled over the bed effortlessly to Eridan’s side and placed her hand to his cheek, “I’m not.”

Locked then by the lips, she pulled him in gently, she laying back on the bed while Eridan crawled over her, letting his kisses finally trail down ending at her collar bone and they both looked at one another.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

She felt a ticklish knot beginning to form in her abdomen, and as Eridan was starting to blush furiously, she suspected it was forming for him too, hm, or rather she could _feel it._ With the most welcoming of smiles, Kanaya reached up for another kiss and gently settled him down upon her.

.

.

.

Kanaya awoke just as the first morning rays were peering in through their window. Everything was warm. Especially the arm draped over her middle and the breath on the side of her neck. She just barely fidgeted in bed and then heard a gurgled, “Five more minszzz,” Eridan pulled her closer and nuzzling her neck. Kanaya turned around in his grasp to face him, “Mmmmh, how was your night?”

“Good sleep,” he said with eyes closed.

“Good dreams?”

“Seven of them.”

Kanaya kissed him on the bridge of his nose, “We can take it easy getting out of bed,” she whispered into him.

“Mmmh, I think, I’m going to have to,” said Eridan with an edge of blush in his voice, his movements stiffening.

“Oh…” Kanaya began to feel her own soreness creeping in as well, “Yes I agree too.”

They both tumbled into a fit of giggled, “Well,” then they fell into all out laughing.

With the sun pouring in light, that was all there was to be of their future. 


	10. One in Our Hearts

**7 years later**

“According to Tavros, they should be coming back from migrating any minuet now Love.”

“Yup.”

They both stood on the edge of the lake, Eridan holding Kanaya very tenderly from behind, his hands clasped over her swollen stomach.

Watching them come in was always a joy. The first year however, the kids had returned to their house, along with 170 of their new closest friends. When Eridan and Kanaya awoke that morning, and thought it was SNOWING, they discovered it was actually feathers…Tavros waved up to them from his truck along with Alexander, “I guess they, felt this was necessary.”

Napoleon flew up to the second story window and poofed out her feathers, _Look at my army Daddy! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA!_

The parents laughed so hard they could barely stand. They got it right the years after, but that was indeed a special moment, and the best thing to end their scrap book on.

Eridan kissed his wife on the cheek.

“If one is a girl, Patricia?”

“How about Napoleon?”

Kanaya laughed warmly, “And if one is a boy?”

“Houdini, definitely.”

Twins. They were blessed with twins after over a decade of trying altogether. And oh they heard it from Sollux for _weeks._ He promised to wear sparklers when they would be born, just because. Karkat had never face-palmed so hard. But this was their second miracle,

“Daddy, daddy look, I made a duckie, duckie, duck-duckie.”

“It’s beautiful Alex, come, stay near us okay?”

“Okie. LOOK, MOMMA DADDY I CAN SEEM THEM!”

There they came, like falling white stars to dot the woods below. Flutters and feathers and ripples throughout the lake, this was as turbulent as the water got for their arrival.

“HURRY UP NAPOLEON I WANNA GO PLAY!”

Napoleon swooped in low and flew just over Alex, and he took off after her.

“Alex, ALEX, SON PLEASE WATCH WHERE YOU STEP! DON’T TRIP” –

*splat* - “I’M OKAY!” Alex pushed himself and began to chase Napoleon along with Houdini and Madelyn all landing in, the fiercest predator they ever did face! The laughter and squealing of their kids was all the reassurance they needed. He was all the life they could ever dream for.

Ozymandias, Patricia, and Dominick preferred their water landing with Patricia waddling up straight to momma, she could sense it, something in that belly.

The rest walked up soon enough along with a huffed and giggling Alex, the duck kids curious at the returned bump on momma’s tummy. Again? Then, Patricia stepped up beaming, nudged Kanaya’s stomach gently and gave it a little duck kiss.

“Thank-you Love.”

“One, two, three, four, five, six, seven,” Eridan then patted Kanaya’s tummy, “Eight, nine, and,”

“And one in our hearts.”

“One in our hearts.”

“My angel duckie duckie, duckie.”

“That’s right.”

Eridan would admit sometimes, when looking down, he would see Alexander looking back up at him and quack, his entire body covering Dad’s foot for a split second.

Momma said it was him coming by to say hello every now and then, Alex said he saw him too sometimes. Tavros too.

It wasn’t anyone’s fault, he had passed quietly, in no pain, just really tired, and oddly enough when the tears had finally came after the shock, they came from reassurance that they had helped him live far beyond what his life expectancy could have been.

The rangers held a little memorial for him, Tavros handing back his little scarf to Eridan, and Eridan hugged him, _hard_ , and pulled Nepeta in the hug as well, “Thank-you for helping him, he was _so happy.”_

In the backyard, they had planted a plot of “flying duck flowers” in his honor among a small cross with his name and love that followed him up into the skies.

“Welcome back Loves,” Kanaya began, “Our family is getting bigger yet again!”

“I’m gonna be an older sibring now!” piped Alex, “I’m not the baby noes more!”

Napoleon moved towards Alex, _We must advance your training!_

The other siblings sighed at Napoleon’s offer while the parents laughed, and when the game of chase started up again, the kids all ran about, eventually tackle-hugging Alex to the ground.

“I MISSPED YOU TOO!”

It was said (by Kanaya) that their darling son was lead to them by their sweetie in the sky, he had gotten lost for a while on the way down, but once he saw this one brave duck flying all around, gliding, skimming on clouds, he knew where to go and was promptly guided there; a gift from above with another blessing on the way. Kanaya leaned on Eridan and he leaned on her, resting his hand over her belly. Kanaya sighed happily, “Our family.”

“Our family.”

“Quack!”

**~*3*~The End~*3*~**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank-you so much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this little tale :3


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